Listless
by InnocentGuilt
Summary: Riku was violent, while Axel was dangerous. Sora and Roxas were really just trying to help, honest. The rest of them were just to caught up with themselves to care. I don't know any of the warnings yet except that there's slash. AxelxRiku, SoraxRoxas. Yum
1. Light the World

A/N: I'm back! It's been soooooo long! (Snorts!) Like three days. Oh, well. My pretty beta, ichi desu, said that this was postable, so posting I am.

I hope you like this story. It has a lot shorter chapters but at the same time it's gonna be hella long. And! It's going to be filled with so much angst…Mmm. It's so yummy I don't know what to do with myself. Angst…not my story.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. If you've read my other stories, you'll be quite familiar with this. If I did own KH, wow, would it be super odd!

Anyway, hope you like it. I've been harboring it secretly for the past month and a half.

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They believed they held in there hands the candle that would light the world. – Act One from The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Riku was violent. He found himself circled by rumors from the schoolfor his strength and lightning reflexes. He carried an angry unpredictable air around his body, which also made him mysterious. He fought with everyone about anything for no reason at all. He was unsettling, unsafe, and uncontrollable.

Axel was dangerous. He often lit fires in random places watching as his monster consumed everything. Helike Riku, stumbled into a pool of rumors for his unpredictability and aloofness throughout the entire high school. He knew everyone called himcold, ruthless and that they said he would win at any cost. One might think that he would go hand in hand with Riku, but he didn't.

They were enemies. If the two were in the same hallway, people scattered, circled, and readied their cell phones to call the ambulance, seeing as one of them would need it. If they even looked at each other they would pick, pick until they hit, hit until one of them was unconscious.

But they both had one trait that they shared, and they both knew it, respected it. They knew never to bring it up or touch on it.

Both of them were lying.

No one knew this, except the other, and no one ever would if they had a hand in matters.

But they never had a hand in matters like they thought they did. In fact, they had very little control over anything when Sora and Roxas were around.

Sora and Roxas were what most people regarded as soul mates; to make matters worse, they were bored people by nature. Unfortunately with their boredom, came their ideas; from their boredom, came their games. It was usually never anything serious; they settled with card games, memorization games, new sparing techniques, and anything else that came to their mind at the spur of the moment.

However, the longer they went without seeing each other the more drastic their games became.

Roxas being Axel's best friend, and Sora being Riku's best friend, they did not often see each other because they were always trying to sooth their friend's sensitive nerves. In turn, their games were becoming risky.

But never as risky as the game they started during their senior year.

_North Hall_

"Excuse us. Pardon me. I'm sorry, Selphie. I didn't mean to step on your brand new shoes. Yes, hello Wakka. We need through. Excuse me. Don't mind him. Yes, hi. Move, please, we need to see the blood shed. Ah, here we are! Front row seats."

Sora managed to pull his friend through the crowd, settling them both on the inside ring of the match. "Oh, well, my dear, we haven't missed much." He said, studying the scene in front of them.

"Of course not. School's only been in session for a few minutes. It takes a while for them to get under the other's skin." Roxas smiled resting his arm on Sora's shoulder.

"'Tis true." Sora said, leaning his head towards Roxas.

They watched in abject fascination as the two glared at each other, spitting nasty comments, the crowd practically memorized, at each other.

"Hell, Riku, if I had known you were so touchy about your appearance, I would have told you, you looked gay a long time ago."

"Of very clever, Axel. Did you come up with that yourself, or did you have to ask your mommy for help with that?"

"Leave my mother out of this, you dumb shit."

"I'm not the one who has to repeat the year over."

"Yeah, but I don't have uncle for the principal!"

"Fuck you, I earned those grades."

"You earn a lot of things, don't you, Hollywood?"

"What are you implying, _Axel_?"

"Nothing."

"I am _not_ a whore like your fucking sister. If that's what you're saying."

"My sister is not a whore."

"What? She doesn't take money?"

"NO!"

"So, she's a slut?"

"You don't know anything about her."

"I know enough. I know you're no better."

"I will light your pretty, fucking hair on fire."

Axel had invaded Riku's happy space by then, which was not a good move because it was just perfect for Riku to get an upper cut in sending the redhead stumbling back a few feet. Then Riku pounced. Sora mildly noted he heard several 'beeps' as people entered '911' into their cells, ready to press the 'send' button at any moment.

Axel recovered quickly, using his unnatural speed to attack Riku lifting him off the ground with one hand while he grabbed his lighter with the other. Riku growled and kneed the other hard in the gut. He hit the ground hard as Axel grasped his stomach. They both stood quicklyglaring daggers at one another.

However Mr. Vexen and Saix cut the entertainment short, having rounded the corner right as Riku threw the first punch. Vexen grabbed Riku, Saix grabbed Axel, and they dragged them towards opposite sides of the "ring" as it were, making way towards the principal's office in opposite routes.

"You won't touch my hair. Ever." Riku shouted, before Vexen covered his mouth. The crowd dispersed immediately after, going on as if nothing had happened between the two most famous rivals in King Mickey High. Sora stayed behind along with Roxas, staring at the imaginary ring.

Roxas left Sora's side only to pick up Axel's precious lighter, pocketing it.

"That was repetitive." Sora said mildly as Roxas returned to his side.

"Yes, I think we saw that same episode last Wednesday." Roxas said, just as mildly as Sora had, taking the initiative to begin towards their first class of the day. Sora followed without thought.

"They're getting better though."

Roxas snorted, "How do you figure?"

"Well, they've finally noticed they're attraction for one another."

"Sora you are way to much of a romanticist."

"You heard it too," Sora said. "'I will light your pretty hair on fire."

"There was more profanity in that sentence."

"It doesn't matter. The message is the same," Sora said waving his hand.

"The message is that Riku's a pretty boy."

"Is that how you interpret it?"

"That's how I interpret everything Axel says."

Sora stopped, having been thinking about the argument since they had began walking aimlessly around the school. Roxas stopped not too long after, looking back at his companion to figure out his problem.

"What's the matter?"

"What if the message really was how I said it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Roxas, I'm bored."

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A/N: Well…(flinches away) Does it suck? (Throws myself at your feet) I'm so sorry! Don't kill me!

But do review; I love that.

InnocentGuilt 


	2. No Poetry

A/N: Well, I didn't expect this story to take of so well. I was mildly surprised that I got more than five, let alone twelve. There's a confidence boost. Anyway, thanks to all those who reviewed. It made me inexplicably happy!

This pretty chappie goes a little into home life. I'll have a few chapter like this throughout the story, but only when absolutely necessary. That way we can have all the happy Axel/Riku, Sora/Roxas fluff we all love and need. Hope everyone like this as well. I enjoy writing these things, don't you know!

Thanks to Ichi-desu, who is my beautiful beta. I'll stop being mean to her one of these days.

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'_There's no poetry between us', said the paper to the pen. – No poetry by Gary Jules_

Axel woke up every morning to the same thing.

"_Axel_!" Then some weird blonde and black flash would be on top of him, suffocating him as it tried shaking him awake.

"Larxene, Come on! Ten more minutes."

Larxene was a slut, to put it bluntly. What was worse; she flaunted it without a care in the world. She had several 'dates' in a day, and would never miss one of them. It wasn't exactly known when all of this had started; no one was really sure they wanted to know, especially not her parents who did their damndest to keep her away from all the parties and 'group studies' she participated in. However, with her stunning, good looks, and, well, the lack of clothing she seemed to wear, it was hard for her not to get attention.

She smiled adoringly at her younger brother, "You said that twenty minutes ago. UP!"

He groaned; trying his best to grab his pillow, so as he might _stuff_ his head under it, only to find that the wench had stolen it on her last visit. "Come on, dad and mom left twenty minutes ago and I made waffles!" She sang loudly.

Suddenly she was on the floor, being thrown none-too-gently by Axel at the mention of food.

"Awren't twoo gonna eet wif meh?"

Larxene smiled from the stairwell. "No, I've gotta go."

Axel swallowed harshly, staring down at his waffles. "When?" He asked quietly.

She smiled again, "He's picking me up in twenty minutes. I gotta go get ready."

It was always 'him'. She didn't give them names anymore. 'Names are the beginning of attachment. I can't afford to be attached.' She would say hollowly and yet with cheer, as if she was proud she had realized this.

When Axel heard the shower turn on, he quickly walked over and threw his waffles away. He didn't like to eat if Larxene didn't eat with him. He didn't know why, but no matter what, they had always eaten together. It was why he had gotten used to not eating lunch; he never had lunch with her. He went back up to his room to get dressed in his normal black garb, slick his hair back, maybe find his books that he would toss randomly around his book, and making sure he had his iPod.

When he was done, Larxene was out of the shower, heading to her room.

"I'm leaving, Larx." He said in passing. He stopped, and stooped down when she kissed the top of his head.

"Have a good day, little brother. I probably won't be home tonight, so sleep well." She said, as she headed further into her room.

"Yeah," He said noncommittally. "Yeah, I won't." He told himself, pushing his headphones in his ears, sorting through the songs before pushing it to some hard rock song that caught his attention.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$

Riku woke up every morning to the same thing.

"RIKU! RIKU! COME HERE, I NEED YOUR HELP!" Then Riku would hit the floor running, banging the door open and skipping stairs as he ran down to the bedroom of his brother.

"What?" He asked as he got into the room, seeing his brother's nurse, Aerith hovering over her shaking patient.

"He won't stop! I can't give his shot to him." Riku ran over to his bedside, pushing his brother down, and leaning his weight onto his chest so she could grab his arm to inject the shot. Even with the shot however, they had to hold him down for minutes afterwards until he finally calmed down.

He stabilized after a minute or two, coming to immediately afterwards.

"Get off!" He said angrily yet still calm.

"Sephiroth, you had an attack. You need to keep calm." Aerith said, trying to hold his arms down.

Sephiroth was trying to kill himself, both intentionally and unintentionally. It scared Riku to hell and back and the idea if Sephiroth didn't kill himself then the disease attacking his body would. To insult to injury, he wouldn't get any help, he refused to step foot in any type of clinic he was big enough, still had enough of his mind that he could say no, and put force behind it. But it had been getting worse. A lot worse.

"I don't care. Get the hell off of me."

"Sephiroth, please." Aerith pleaded.

Aerith was trying to help Sephiroth. She had been since the first time he entered the hospital. She was nice, and more than generous, she paid all of the medicine Sephiroth needed partially. But she was beginning to discover it wasn't helping. It killed her inside.

"Just lay still." She said

Riku didn't say a word. He just watched all the shifts in his brother's eyes as they shifted colours, forms, and emotions. As he remembered who everyone was, and where he was he also remembered why everyone was holding him down and began to struggle more. He shook his head, releasing his brother before one of them was hurt. Aerith followed his example and stepped away from him.

Sephiroth stood up, moving around immediately, completely ignoring the warnings Aerith was giving him to remain motionless. He wobbled a little, shaking his head once in a while. Then he looked at Riku.

"What are you still doing here? Don't you have school today?" He asked sharply.

Riku nodded. "Yeah," He said, slumping his shoulders at his brother's cold tone. But he stood up straighter, "Yes, I do. I should be going." He said moving out.

"Do you need a ride?" He asked, following Riku out of the room, his nurse right behind him.

"You can't drive Sephiroth." Riku said at the same time as Aerith.

There was a thick silence afterwards where the older stared them both down. "What do you mean I can't drive?"

"You haven't been able to drive for a year." Aerith said. "But I called your uncle. He'll be here in ten minutes."

Riku froze. "You called Xemnas?"

Aerith flinched a little at both of their cruel stares. "I had to…" She began.

"No you didn't." Riku cut in quickly. "Dammit!" He breathed, running upstairs before he lost his cool.

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Riku got into the car with his uncle, firmly ignoring his stare. He strapped in only turning when he waved to Aerith who watched quietly from the door. She waved back slowly, smiling as the car moved away. **T**hen Riku moved to watch the road.

"I hear you **and** Mr. Wise got into a fight yesterday."

"He started it." Riku said, feeling his IQ lower at his choice of words.

"I didn't ask who started it. It doesn't matter, besides. You're seventeen. You can't handle simple insults?"

Riku glared at the glass.

"Fine, don't talk. But realize that if this violent streak of yours continues I will have to transfer you to Maleficent's School for Troubled Children."

"I'm not having troubles though!" Riku yelled.

Xemnas looked at him calculatingly, as if Riku was one of his dumb experiments,a thought that angered Riku greatly. He looked away and watched the road. "Riku in the past month alone you have gotten into seven fights. It's only the second week of October. That's a fight every two days!"

"Five of them don't count. They were with the same person." Riku countered.

"They were Mr. Wise. I know."

They pulled into the parking lot of the school. Xemnas turned the car off and turned to his nephew. "I know your mother's death was hard on you, and I'm sure your brother isn't helping but if you're having problems coping, maybe you should…"

Riku got out of the car, "I don't even want to hear your solution." He growled. He started to walk off towards the school, because when he was in the school's building he became just another student. But he wasn't fast enough.

Xemnas caught up with him, immobilizing him as hisauthoritative hand grabbed the back of his neck. "Don't do that again. I'm not finished speaking!" His uncle said angrily, his mother would've been angry, too. "If you keep these fights up I will be forced to expel you."

"You won't expel me, uncle." Riku said. He wasn't lying. Xemnas promised his mother that he would try. Xemnas had loved his mother dearly.

"If you keep this up I may not have a hand in it anymore. I will be forced to take drastic measures." He said quietly.

They walked to the school together, much to Riku's dismay, but thankfully, Xemnas stopped his lecturing. Riku kept his head down, if he didn't make eye contact, he was less likely to get into it. It worked too.

"Didn't I see you wearing those jeans on the corner last night, Hollywood?"

Well, it _was_ working.

Xemnas grabbed his shoulder and pushed him along. "Mr. Wise, that's harassment." He said simply.

Riku didn't have to turn around to see Axel mouthing his uncle irrespectively. He didn't have to turn around to read the thoughts that flew across his face. But he did turn around.

'Principal's pet.' Axel mouthed.

Riku really wished he could kill him!

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"This will have to be meticulous. They can't know what we're up to for fear we may get beaten into a bloody pulp."

"I think I would know that. I'm not new to this."

"I know. Leave me my protective tendencies and help me plan, Roxas!"

"Fine. When should we start?"

"When they're in a good mood."

"Oh, good, two weeks from never."

"Okay, point taken. When they're in a better mood than they were yesterday."

"Right. A week from never."

"Have faith, brat."

"Alright! First battle ground?"

"You're so dramatic!"

"Tell me, Sora!"

"I was thinking the janitors closet."

"No."

"No?"

"Weapons."

"Ah yes. Too true."

"What about the freezer?"

"With the amount of time it would take they would be popsicles."

"True. True."

"What do we do then?"

"…"

"…"

"I know! The library cataloging room!"

"Only you would think of that, Roxie."

"But you have no objections do you?"

"No. It's perfect."

"Okay. Sora, this could be very dangerous. If they find out…"

"They'll be broken. I know."

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A/N: Well, aren't these plots just fun? Mmm…I love it. Haha, I have only too much fun writing enemies. Of course, in my spare time, I am a complete smart-ass! It's a miracle I'm not dead yet.

Hope you guys are still entertained. This one was toned down compared to others. I know; I have them typed.

Tell me you still love it. Tell me you suddenly hate it. Just talk to me. I enjoy the conversation.

_InnocentGuilt_


	3. La Verdad

A/N: So…my computer decided it didn't like the Internet. I'm not even joking. It just deleted it. So mom and I had to go on a wild goose chase to find it. But we did so, here's the chapter that was supposed to be up yesterday. Sorry about the inconvenience.

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Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement.- 

_Californicatioin by the RedHot Chili Peppers._

"Riku…Riku? …Riku Melosine!"

"What?" He asked irritably, stopping his English homework so he could actually pay attention to his Science teacher.

"Answer when I speak to you. You're not seven; I shouldn't have to tell you this."

"Yeah."

Mr. Vexen sighed. "Yes, sir. Not 'yeah'."

Riku rolled his eyes expressively. "Yes, sir."

"Thank you. Now will you please answer the question?"

Riku heard someone in the back of the classroom snort, and had to fight the urge to turn around and see the glaring green eyes he knew to be at the back of his head. He put down his pencil and looked his brown haired teacher square in the eyes, feeling his inner-self groan, as he had to ask, "What was the question, sir?"

Mr. Vexen nodded, tersely, pursing his lips to stop himself from screaming at his student. "Had you been paying attention," He ground out through clenched teeth. "You wouldn't have to ask that question. There is a reason I am up here everyday, reciting this. It's not for my health!" He yelled, rambling through his well-used speech, as Riku pulled this close to everyday. "I am up here so that you can learn. I know this stuff. I don't need it, but you do. You need it to graduate and to go to an Academy (1) and so you can succeed in life, you ungrateful delinquents!" He took a deep breath, picking up his head to look at Riku again, to say the same thing he said everyday. "Next time, pay attention, Riku."

Riku didn't look at him. He just continued on his homework. But he had the decency to say, "Yes, sir."

"Thank you. Now the question was, how many grams are in 18.78945 mols of Oxygen?"

"I don't know, sir." He said, uncaringly, marking off a question in his book.

"Big surprise!" Axel said, and Riku could hear the sneer in his voice. He grasped his pencil tightly trying to get at least one day under his belt before he beat the shit out of someone else. He continued with his English, trying to understand the secret behind being able to tell this difference between a predicate adjective and predicate nominative. "Why don't you just give him a colouring sheet? I'm pretty sure that's the only thing his simpleton mind can handle."

Riku snapped his pencil down. "Fuck you, dipshit. Can't you keep your mouth shut for more than twenty minutes at a time?"

"Why? Do I turn you on?" He countered with a cold glint in his eyes. He smirked evilly, licking his lips in a would-be seductive way. "I'm glad to know what gets you into the cars at night." He leered.

Everything shifted suddenly and Riku was out of his seat and moving towards him with deadly speed. Axel just watched him with a crooked eyebrow, seeing how far he would go.

"Riku, leave my classroom."

The entire class seemed to breath a giant gasp of relief, except Riku and Axel, who both seemed to thrive on the endorphins their fight and confrontations. Their eyes still held, aquamarine held against emerald. Riku wanted to punch him even more when the fire in his opponent's eyes held something other than the rush of the game, something deeper than the rush of the game. Axel smiled menacingly, waving his fingers at him in goodbye.

"Bastard," Riku spat out like a poison.

Axel sneered back at him as Vexen grasped the back of his neck, immobilizing his body and forcing him out of the room.

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"Sora, where's Riku?" Roxas asked, sitting down with Naminé next to Sora and Kairi for the fifteen minutes he had before Axel showed up for lunch.

Naminé was a nice girl. She was very quiet, but very authoritative, and was the very voice of the senior class. She knew a great deal of everything going on in the high school. Many whispered that she got her information through her mind reading powers, a rumor that started with Roxas when she had been able to call all of his bluffs in BS. She knew every secret ever to cross the lips of everyone, even the one going on behind the very back of Axel and Riku, even though the work had yet to begin. Though she thought the entire idea was completely asinine…she was trying.

Kairi scoffed. "Why do you care?"

Kairi was a nice enough girl. She wasn't great, but she was okay. She was loud, and easy and really only did what others were doing. She didn't have any mind reading powers she was just super nosy, but since she was cute, she could get her way. She too knew of the plan hatched against Riku and Axel. And she too thought it was ridiculous. But unlike her cousin, Naminé, the mind reader, she was not trying. In fact, she was dragging her feet at the entire idea.

Roxas cut her a withering look. "Because I was hoping to string him up by his ankles and sacrifice him to the leprechauns." He sniped.

Sora rolled his eyes expressively. "I don't know. He disappeared after third hour." He answered his counterpart while spreading a thin layer of mayonnaise onto his bread. "Why?"

"I wanted to sacrifice him to the leprechauns! I told you!"

Naminé giggled while Kairi rolled her eyes.

"No, I wanted to see when we were going to start this little game of ours." Roxas said, sliding his chair closer to Sora's so they could talk about it.

"Not today." Sora said.

"Well, obviously, a missing Riku makes it hard to force him in the same room with Axel."

"Oh, did you figure that out on your own?"

Roxas pinched his nose. "You're so cute when you're being sarcastic." He said irritably. "Could you give me a straight answer, if it's not too hard?" He was usually fine with Sora's inability to give straight answers, but he felt tired today and he really didn't care for anything.

Sora sighed, "We'll talk about this in economics." He told the other firmly.

Kairi and Naminé watched this with rapt. Kairi because she was glaring at Roxas, and Naminé because she thought they should stop fighting themselves and get together. They always did this. They argued like couples, and ended like adults. It was endearing to see, even if it wasn't surprising. They were soul mates, after all.

Roxas met his eyes for a moment, but Sora glanced behind him, and he turned around to see Axel coming down the stairs. He was early. Roxas looked back at Naminé, "Coming to sit with us?" He asked.

She looked up from her salad, and over to where Axel was getting his food. "Yeah," She nodded, gathering her bag and her food. "There's an empty table over there." She said pointing to an empty table in the corner of the room.

Roxas stood as well, running his hand over Sora's neck indiscreetly, before following his friend across the room.

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"Leon! Where're you going?" Riku called down the hall.

The said male stopped in his tracks, turning around to stare uninterestedly at Riku. "Away." He said simply, turning to start walking again.

"Hey, I know that place. It's right next to 'over there'." He scoffed, finally reaching the tall brunette. "Mind telling me where 'away' is?"

"Why? You looking for me to take you with me?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Aren't you in school for a reason?" He asked mildly, looking around the hallway.

"Yeah, so I can listen to your ridicule too. Just fucking take me with you." Riku demanded, stuffing his hands into his tight jeans.

"You got kicked out of class again, didn't you?"

Riku stopped, glaring at Leon likehe was the devil himself. "Yeah, actually! Does it matter?"

Leon sighed, irately. "Cloud and I are going to Radiant Garden."

"You two are a bunch of pansies." Riku snorted, eyeing over Leon's tough guys appearance.

"You can stay here." Leon said, shortly.

Riku glared at him. "I don't want to stay here." He spat, his eyes flashing as Axel's head flew through his mind like a lance.

Leon didn't notice though, he just walked, giving Riku a very frosty shoulder. "Are you sure Riku?" He said monotonously."I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"Thanks." Riku said sarcastically, feeling put out that he had to struggle to get what he wanted from the sullen man.

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"When do you want to try and pull this off?" Sora asked while they were in Professor Luxord's room. They were supposed to be doing economics but Luxord was more into poker with his assistant teacher, Yuffie, than anything else. So, it basically was just a giant study hall with all Sora's favorite people, though Riku was mysteriously missing. Axel was in English IV with Naminé, and Kairi, much to Axel's dismay. So really, it was only him and Roxas. Perfect for scheming really.

Roxas examined his nails. "I don't know. I was thinking soon, before either of them had a chance to get in trouble."

"So, maybe tomorrow if they stay the entire day?" Sora said, referring to Riku's insistent disappearances.

Roxas giggled. "Yeah, that could help. I mean it would be easier if one of them weren't here, but not conducive to our plan."

"Tomorrow then. I'll tell Riku I need help with my Calculus."

"And I'll tell Axel that we're going skating."

"It's set then."

Roxas pulled a book out from his bag and began reading it, flipping the pages every few minutes. Sora merely watched him. Naminé always found it entertaining, because Roxas hated people staring at him. Always said if he wanted to be watched he'd set himself up at a museum. Yet, if Sora watched him, it was fine. But it was only because Sora and him had been a team for so long, no other reason. That wasn't possible. That wasn't even conceivable. No.

Sora sighed, scooting his chair back to rest his feet on his desk.

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked.

Sora looked over to Roxas, a small blush gracing his features. "Nothing," He shot a crooked grin to his blond friend. "Nothing whatsoever," He lied.

He had been thinking about Roxas. Thinking about him in different ways than he should think of his best friend.

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"I've got to go home. My brother's expecting me." Riku said standing and stretching out his sore muscles.

"Bye, Riku. Take care." Cloud said unfeelingly.

Leon waved politely, "Don't get lost." He said on after thought.

Riku didn't say anything to them. He walked to the door, out onto the street, but he didn't head to his house. He took a left at the first corner he came to, heading towards the heart of the city. He took of his over shirt, exposing his much tighter black shirt. Opening his bag, he pulled out his collar and his bracelets, and then stuffed his day shirt in. He stopped by a window, leaning in close to see his reflection properly as he put on eyeliner. He walked by a bakery, kicking his bag under the porch of it, like always. He finally made his destination of Hollywood and 10th street, feeling not for the first time his stomach churn.

He really wished everything Axel said about him were a lie.

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Axel was on his way to Demyx's house, after he had finished school. When they had gone to the same school, they would walk together. Now, however, Demyx had been picked up by a school for 'talented musicians,' so now Axel had to walk by himself because not only was Demyx in a different school district, he also had to stay half an hour later than King Mickey High.

Demyx lived in the city now, so he had some walking to do, but that was fine. Why not get in a good work out?

Besides, about halfway there he always saw the most of amusing, yet surprisingly upsetting, things. Everyday he would walk by the corner of Hollywood, where he would see a familiar flash of silver hair. Walking out of the cigarette shop, sitting against the wall, very provocatively, or, like today, getting into a car. All of this amused Axel to pieces. What upset him were the empty eyes that always got into the car, as if the little snot had emptied out his soul to be able to do this every night.

Axel shook his head.

'_Fucking whore._'

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A/N: Yeah…I loves the drama! It makes me happy; I can't help it.

1. I think, Academy sounds happier than college in relations to KH.

So there you have it. Chapter 3 in all its glory.

Review me. I love it when yous guys do that.

_InnocentGuilt_


	4. Comprimised

A/N: Yeah. You guys are so freaking lucky I love you. I haven't even begun to write the eighth chapter, and I'm already giving you this. Of course not it'll take longer to get chapter five out, but I wasn't going to update until after the new year, so it's not like it was going to be anything new. I just didn't want you guys to go forever without me updating since you seem to like this.

Thus is the reason I didn't give you heads up on everything and replying to your reviews blah blah…yeah!

Anyway! Here's chapter four.

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_Call me a fool and it's what I am- K.L. (Me)_

"Axel! What is this?" Ansem yelled, looking over the grade report in his hand. Ruxy, his wife, dropped her fork at her husband's out burst, glaring at him for yelling at the table and then glancing to her stepson. Larxene just ate quietly, watching her pale brother stiffen in his chair. She groaned inwardly, pressing her head into her hand.

It was something that always irritated her. The way her father spoke to her little brother, like Axel was in the army and had a strict law to abide by. Axel was his youngest child and only son, and sometimes her father spoke to him as though he was nothing more than an ant. But what irritated her more was that Axel allowed it.

Axel put down his fork onto his barely eaten off of dinner plate. "I don't know, dad." He said, but, really, he did. It was his Chemistry report for that week.

"It's a B!" He said confounded. "Why do you have a B in Chemistry?"

"I failed a big project." Axel mumbled.

Ansem's eye twitched. "Why did you fail the project?"

Axel laughed, nervously scratching the back of his neck. Larxene put her fork down from her hand, folding her hands in her lap as she watched her brother and father. Ruxy joined her father in glaring at the thin redhead, upset for reasons unknown as well, that her stepson had failed. Larxene had a sneaking suspicion that her mother didn't want the children she had or, rather the stepson she had gathered, to soil the name her husband had made for them.

"I, uh…I set the project on fire." Axel said quietly, not daring to meet the burning gaze of his fathers green eyes. He sighed, not even trying to defend himself when his father began yelling at him, furious with his son for setting yet another thing on fire and probably costing Ansem more than a stupid boy like him would ever see in his life if Axel kept up like this.

Axel fiddled his hands, like he used to when he was a small child. When his father had finished he gently scooted away from the table. "Dinner was good, mom." He said, before exiting. Larxene snapped her attention to his plate, which barely had two bites taken away from it, before watching his retreating back, feeling her heart break as he gingerly pulled his hair out of his face and tied it, something he only did when he had felt useless.

It seemed like he always felt useless these days.

"I swear! That boy." Ruxy said, exasperated.

Larxene took a sip of her cup, washing away most of the angry words with the cool lemonade that was odd for the cold October month they were in. However, a few of the bitter words escaped from her red-stained lips. "If you're so ashamed of him," she spat at them. "Why didn't you just send him to the gypsies when his mother died?" She pushed her plate away. "I'm going out."

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Riku walked to his uncle's office, thankful for once that Aerith had given him a ride to school, even if it had been an hour early. He had three books in his hands in preparation for first hour when he would have to try and make up his homework from the day before. He had his paper and pencils in his bag, which was slung over his shoulder. He was _so_ tired. He had gotten home at ten past one, and after walking like four miles to catch a bus to walk another half a mile to his home, he honestly didn't feel like doing the Sex Ed. Report on five reasons babies are stillborn. He didn't feel like doing anything other than sleeping…maybe eating, if he felt like it, but most definitely sleeping.

He opened the door to the office, nodding at Selphie, the office aid, and opening the door to his Uncle's office.

"Riku, sit." He said quietly, and Riku obeyed almost gratefully, happy to be sitting again, though he knew he was going to get chewed up one wall and down the other. Xemnas took a deep breath. "You left after third hour yesterday." He said as a statement rather than a normal question. "Why?"

"Mr. Vexen told me to leave his classroom. I figured if I was just wandering the halls that one of your retarded security guards would tell me to leave campus like they always do when I'm kicked out a class."

Xemnas scribbled something on the paper not even glancing up when he talked to Riku through tight lips. "Riku this is ridiculous. You give me no choice. From this point on you have exactly three strikes, and when they run out you're going to Maleficant's."

"What?" Riku jumped suddenly awake and hurt at the fact that his uncle would do this to him and he couldn't even look up from his papers to tell him the ultimatum.

"I don't think I stuttered. And that includes your fights with Mr. Wise so I'd suggest coming to an understanding or transferring out of his classes." He looked up at his nephew. "I won't count you getting thrown out of class, because honestly you'd be out in a day and a half. But fights, failure of _any_ class, or even the failure of _one_ test, and you will be out of my school." Xemnas said vehemently.

Riku stared at him with an open mouth. "Uncle, that's not fair." Riku breathed.

"Riku, it's plenty fair. I have turned more blind eyes for you than should be legal." He whispered. "You are spiraling out of control and I _have _to do _something_!" He wrote something else before he looked to his nephew again. "From now on when you get kicked out of class you will report to my office where you will spend the rest of the hour. After, you will go directly to your next class. Understood?" He barked.

"Yes." Riku bit out angrily, standing, and shouldering on his bag before picking up his books.

"Oh and Mr. Vexen wants to see you." He said as Riku made for the door. "Don't disappoint me."

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"Mr. Vexen?" Riku said blandly, feeling the weight of his uncle's words set into him. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Mr. Vexen stopped writing the day's notes on the board completely, and turned to face him. "Yes. I wanted to talk to you. I assume you're uncle has already spoken with you?"

Riku dropped his books onto the desk and let his book bag hit the ground lifelessly. He watched to floor, not wanting to look up to meet the eye of the teacher who had the most faith in him. He flopped lifelessly into a seat, drawing designs into the desk with his finger. "Yes sir."

"You realize that this had to happen, don't you?" Walking over to stand in front of Riku.

"Yea…" He stopped tracing designs, feeling his lips tighten into thin lines. "You told him to do it didn't you?"

"I brought up the fact that you were getting more crass with every passing day." Vexen said. "But I won't deny I didn't try to change his mind about the decision." His cold sage green eyes rested on his student. "I've been having conversations with your other teachers," He began pulling a seat up and sitting closer to Riku. "They say last year you were beating all the students in your class by far, that you understood everything with little ease, and that you aced everything handed to you."

"Sir, that was last year. This year is much more difficult. It's senior level." Riku tried to argue trying to hide the fact that it was because he had a night job.

"I don't thing that's why you're slipping up." Vexen snapped. "You're teachers tell me you've been doing all your homework in their classes, that you always seem to have at least two other books than is needed, or that heaven-forbid, you don't have any other work you're sleeping in their class. I myself have seen this and I know that you have not gotten above a B on anything you have turned in this semester."

"I'll do better, sir. I promise." Riku tried, not liking where this conversation was going at all.

"I'll make sure of that." Vexen said, going back to his board to continue his notes. "I have taken the liberty of switching your seventh hour class to my plan. You do not need Music Appreciation, but you do need to pass your other classes. In addition to this, you will spend an extra hour with me every afternoon in your own personal study hall."

"No! Not every afternoon." Riku protested loudly.

"Why not?" Vexen asked, continuing to write something over quantum theory and numbers.

"Because…" He hesitated, afraid that he would be interrogated if he continued, but he needed out. He needed out bad. "Sir, I have a job."

Vexen stared at him. He wasn't stupid; he knew that students with jobs got special wavers. "Why aren't you in the worker's program?" He asked.

"I, uh…I just got it." Riku said, strongly.

Mr. Vexen shook his head, not interested in fighting the truth out of the stubborn teen. "Fine, then you will come in the mornings, an hour before school starts."

Riku sighed, his plan thwarted. "Sir, surely knowing I have a job you could be more lenient and just settle with seventh…"

"How long does this job keep you? Anything later than ten and they should be reported." Mr. Vexen snapped.

Riku paled at the thought of him having to explain everything to his teacher, who would tell it to his uncle, who would freak and tell everyone, and ruin him and his plans. Riku shook his head hard. "No, sir. I'm just trying to get out of the extra work. Morning's are fine with me." He said resignedly.

"Good. Now you obviously have homework. Finish it." He said referring to the three books Riku had hauled with him. Riku looked to the clock, grumbling when he realized he had half an hour before school actually started.

_Damn, you Aerith._

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"Hey, Riku." Riku looked up from his Chemistry book, even though he was in Calculus.

"What is it Sora?" He asked tiredly, playing the morning over and over in his mind.

"Can you stay after school with me for a while? I need help on my Calculus." He asked.

Riku wanted to say no. That he was busy, but it was Sora, and Sora was too clueless when it came to Calculus to be left on his own. "Sure"

"Thanks Riku. I know you're busy."

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Axel laid his head down in his arms, sighing sadly as his long red hair brushed against his side from where it was tied back. Roxas rubbed his back, comfortingly. "You okay?"

"I had a bad night." He mumbled into his arms.

"Want to talk about it?" Roxas asked.

The tall redhead sighed. "No. I don't even want to think about it."

The blond nodded. "Okay. Well, hey! I'm going skating after school. Wanna come?" He asked enthusiastically.

He sighed again. Anything to get away from his thoughts! "Yeah, whatever."

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A/N: There is nothing between Riku and Vexen accept maybe an understanding that Riku can do better and if it kills him Vexen will make him do it. Ha! So take that.

Anyway the next chapter won't be out until the new year (giving me plenty of time to write two chapters), so don't expect anything soon. I love you!

InnocentGuilt 


	5. I hate you

A/N: Yeah. RosalynAngel (You guys know her.) pointed out that…well, basically that my punctuation sucks. I'm fine with it. But if it honestly bothers you guys, I'll strive to be a better author and pretend I know what the fuck I'm doing. Other than that…let's watch the show.

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_I hate everything about you. – Three days grace_

"No! Don't let that door close!"

-click-

Riku sighed. "Fuck!" He glared at Axel, who had just entered, nearly saving him from this prison; however, he had failed completely. To make matters worse, they were now stuck with one another. He had been stuck in the room for the thirty minutes already and was so looking forward to escaping when bozo the clown entered.

"Great." He ground out. "Not only am I stuck here, but I'm stuck here with you." He went to his bag, which he had thrown angrily across the room when he realized he was stuck, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

Axel stared between the door and Riku, his face contorted into one of his stupid, confused faces. "What do you mean _stuck_?"

"Would you like me to spell it out for you?" The lunar-haired asked before lighting the white stick and inhaling.

"You mean it's locked?"

"No, I mean there's peanut butter in the door jam." Riku sneered.

Axel smiled annoyingly. "You're so cute when you're being a dick." He said in his trademark peppy voice. He crossed to the other side of the room, pushing all the books accumulated on a desk to the floor before hopping onto the table and sitting down. Apparently, he was blind because there were several chairs in perfect disuse.

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"Oh, look! An empty hall with a library cataloging room, and no teachers in sight! How convenient!" Sora said happily. "I only ever thought those came in movies. Shall we set up?"

"I did drag this card table all the way from the t-building." The t-building was only really a forty-five feet away from where they were now. Roxas just liked to complain. He dropped said table on the floor carelessly, looking over to Sora expectantly. "Help me." He demanded.

"I'm setting up the chairs." Was the only response he received.

"This table is sent from hell to kill me. I can't open it by my lonesome."

"Well then wait." Sora said, finally getting the chairs to prop open and stand on their own. He moved over to his completely hopeless friend, pulling on one of the legs, smirking in satisfaction as they all popped out. "Was that so hard?" He questioned.

His blonde counterpart snorted. "You make it look easy."

"Whatever. Give me the cards. You can't shuffle to save you life." He said, holding his hand out for the cards, and fervently ignoring the shock that course through him when his tan fingers brushed against Roxas' pale ones.

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_Flick, snap…flick, snap…flick…_

"Stop it!"

"What?"

Riku growled, trying his best not to let Carrot Top get on his nerves. He had been playing with his lighter for the past ten minutes, proving to do nothing save drive Riku further into distraction as he tried to sleep this hell away.

They had been in here for the better part of an hour. They had yet to say anything to each other, both of their days having worn them into a quiet sort of melancholy depression. Riku had actually felt ballsy enough to try to catch up with the good Sandman, though with the constant clicking Axel's retarded Zippo kept making he was beginning to doubt himself.

…_snap…flick, snap…_

"Oh, you mean this." _…flick, snap…flick, snap…flick, snap…_ "Hollywood, is it bothering you? Maybe I should stop." He continued nonetheless.

_Don't kill him. Don't kill him. DON'T kill him._ His mind said repeatedly. It had become his mantra in the last nine and a half minutes. "Stop calling me Hollywood, you egotistical pig." The silver haired teen ground out.

Riku could feel Axel smile through his closed, creased eyes. "It cuts me deep when you call me that, _Hollywood_."

He yelled in frustration, reaching to the shelf behind his head where he could grab one of the thick books and chuck it at the other. "I warned you, fuck-face…" He screamed standing up and marching to Axel. "Stop calling me that! I hate it nearly as much as I hate you!" He kicked the lighter out of Axel's hand, which he was stick flicking and snapping then watched it skitter under one of the bookshelves.

"What the hell?" Axel yelled. He stood, too, coming to loom over Riku ominously with blazing poison green eyes. "That was my lighter!"

"Another helpless classroom will be saved from your stupidity with fire then."

"I should beat the daylights out of you!" He snarled, but his face changed rapidly into a look of cold amusement. "That would certainly take care of another streetwalker."

Axel threw a punch at him unexpectedly, but he underestimated Riku's ability to dodge, missing him by a long shot. Riku came back quick, though, looping his arms under Axel's and clasping his hands behind the masses of red hair. "Don't mess with me today Axel. I've had enough shit without your mouth."

"Would it make it better if I offered dick too?" Axel ground out, struggling to free himself from the other's hold.

Riku nearly grabbed the back of his obnoxious red hair so that he might slam his head up against the nearest wall. _'Three strikes, Riku'._ His uncle's voice rippled through his mind. "You're not worth strike one." He said as he threw the redhead away from him angrily.

Axel smiled up at him, ruthlessly. "What's the matter? Don't have it in you? Been too _busy_ to sleep?"

"You don't know anything, Axel!"

"I know enough." He leered. "You look good in eyeliner." He, then, winked at Riku who was steaming with rage and indignation. He grabbed the back of his pale neck, immobilizing him instantly, crashing his lips to the other's harshly. He broke away from him almost instantly, still holding onto the back of Riku's neck. "You should wear it for me sometime."

He let go of Riku's neck, watching as he stumbled away, his eyes aquamarine wide with shock. He wiped his mouth disgustedly on his sleeve, and then glared at the tall man before him. "I hate you." He whispered. "I hate you and I'm warning you now to not come near me unless you really want me to kill you."

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The cards on the table lay forgotten on the table, the owners having run to the door when they heard the fight starting.

"Did you get that?" Roxas asked his friend, confused at everything the two had exchanged.

Sora shook his head, his eyes glazed with thought and perplexity. "No. It's a complete mystery to me."

"Well," Roxas said after a few moments between him and his partner in crime. "I think it's safe to say they've taken a step forward. Maybe you were right." He shifted his blue eyes up to meet the other's lighter set of blue. "This _could _work, my dear."

Sora smiled, "Have I ever been wrong?"

Roxas opened his mouth to answer him.

"That time doesn't count!"

He closed his mouth instantly, tilting his head to look at the floor like a scolded puppy.

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Axel watched Riku scuttle back to his corner, feeling only a little bad for what had done to him. In any case, it was Riku, stupid, arrogant Riku, who was an ass to absolutely everyone for no reason.

Of course, if Axel was honest with himself he did start most of their fights. In fact, if anyone pressed on the subject toAxel he might even say that Riku was the peaceful one in their hateful relationship (if one could call it that). He would even go far enough to say that Riku didn't deserve half the things Axel did to him, if it weren't for the fact that Riku kicked his ass 55 of the times they fought with one another. Nevertheless, he wasn't pressed, and he wasn't honest with himself. The only thing he ever admitted to himself was that Riku was a whore, who obviously deserved everything ever dealt to him in life.

He sighed. It didn't explain why he was, maybe if only in the _slightest_ way, upset that Riku hadn't returned the kiss, not even for a moment. Not that he had expected him to. Nothing like that.

After all, Riku was violent, and Axel was dangerous. They didn't go hand in hand; they didn't even like each other. They wouldn't change either, not if they had anything to do with it. Though they would never know, they barely had anything to do with anything when Sora and Roxas were around.

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A/N: Wasn't that nice? I love it when I get my way. Especially since I'm writing this. Wouldn't it be terrible if I were the author and didn't get my way? I'd sue myself.

Hope you all liked it. I'm going to go to bed and mull over my lack of heart.

Love yas!

_InnocentGuilt_


	6. No Peace

A/N: Yeah…this is super short. I would have written more…but I didn't. I'm super a lazy whore; I should be flogged. Any volunteers?

Anyway yeah…I think that's all I have to say. Hell.

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I hang my coat up in the first bar, There is not peace that I've found so far – Set the fire to the third bar by Snow Patrol feat. Martha Wainwright

Larxene was walking up to her parents' house when she saw Axel doing the same thing. It wouldn't have been so odd except for the fact that, well, it was nearly midnight, while Axel always got home at seven thirty, after he finished visiting Demyx. Larxene knitted her eyebrows in confusion, her lips, with blood red lipstick dying them, pursed. "Axel? What are you doing out so late?" She asked stopping for him to catch up with her.

He jogged up to her, his hands never coming out of his coat. "I could ask you the same thing." He shot back, scowling deeply, and shivering. "Did you just get back?"

She looped her arm through his, holding his forearm gently. "Yeah," She said quietly as she began leading him towards the front door. "You know why I'm just getting in; I think you should spill _your_ dirty secret." She smiled lovingly at her brother before stroking his hair back.

He sighed, yanking the door open roughly. "I got stuck in the school's library cataloging room for the better part of the night." He answered nonchalantly, letting go of her arm to run upstairs, his loud boots thundering through the otherwise quiet house. Larxene crossed her eyes, a small habit she had when she was irritated.

She followed him upstairs, quieter than her elephant of a brother, and entered his room. "How'd you get out?" She asked. He was acting a bit off. He was almost never in a rush to get away from her, even if he hadn't directly told her to go away.

Axel shrugged off his coat, leaving it on the floor where it had fallen, his boots followed not too long after. "The librarian left her cell phone in there. When she found us, she freaked out, and scolded us for not calling anyone. After that we left."

"Us, we?" Larxene mimicked, sitting on his bed to watch him do his nightly ritual.

"Yeah. I was stuck with Riku fucking Melosine!" He scoffed, tying his hair in a long braid to keep him from pulling on it too badly when he went to sleep. "Of all the people, I got locked up with him." He continued on his rant, seething about Riku, and all the things Riku had done, all the times they had fought in the past.

Larxene didn't listen, though. She had heard that name before. Where?

Melosine…Melosine…Why does that name sound familiar? 

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"Well, our heads were nearly detached from our shoulders tonight." Roxas said, shrugging into his huge marshmallow coat to save him from the cold air outside. He watched Sora grab his messenger bag from the floor where they had hidden their stuff. He didn't see how Sora could walk around with just a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie on all year round with out getting fazed.

"But we didn't." He said. "We even collapsed the table in time. We're really good at this."

Roxas started walking out of the room; only stopping to make sure Sora was still behind him. "I'm really good at his. Had you been by your onezees you so would have been caught and this entire thing would have ended with your untimely death."

"You're so morbid, Roxie. It depresses me."

Roxas snorted. "Butterflies depress you."

"Yeah? Tax laws depress you."

"They are suffocating. I feel repressed." The blonde sighed dramatically, throwing his head back in mock agony.

Sora laughed, and then paused, scratching the back of his neck idly. "I think we can pull this off." He said.

"Resistance is futile when it comes to you."

They walked shoulder against shoulder out of the school, into the cold air, heading towards one of their houses (They would decide when the problem arrived). Roxas was bundled under nearly ten pounds of winter clothing alone (even if it was only October), while Sora was only in his hoodie.

Sora pushed his shoulder gently, moving him over a few feet away. "I'll remember that next time you won't buy me cookies." He said, smiling.

Roxas smiled, but in the dark, you couldn't see that it was without humor. _Hope that's the only thing you ever use that for._

"You don't even like cookies, dear. Don't even act like I was being mean."

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Riku sat outside his house, a smoldering cigarette resting in his hand,completely forgotten, while he tried his best to clear his mind of the night. To his dismay, however, the more he tried to purge his thought process, the more this thought process tried to purge his sanity. He couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened to him.

Damn his luck! Damn it all to hell! Riku wanted to yell in anger, to hit something, or just hit Axel.

Stupid Axel Wise! He just had to be the one he ended up stuck with. Out of all the people in his class, in his school, in his fucking city…it was him. Axel had to stumble in; he had to know the truth; he had to sample.

Riku wanted to curl up under a rock, where the light of day would never reach him again. He didn't think he could face the world again knowing that Axel would tell _every_one about him. The lunar haired boy thought he might as well drop out of school, move to a bigger town, and just start a career as a professional porn star. He was more than good-looking, this he knew. He would be paid _well_ to be in such movies. Why not?

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice whispered through the dark webs of his mind, adding just a bit of sense to everything in his rambles. _You know why you can't leave. _It said softly. _You're not secure enough._

'I never will be.' He thought. 'Not after tonight.'

He snuffed out his already finished cigarette from which he had only taken one puff, stuffing it behind the small bush by his porch. The young man entered his dark house, devoid of any feeling except shame. Shame that not only had he been suckered into a kiss by a weakness he couldn't control, but that if only in the slightest way he might have enjoyed it.

He wasn't to be blamed, though. He was a whore.

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A/N: I like this chapter, despite its shortness. Sorry they didn't get stuck together longer. I had to make it semi-believable…even if it wasn't. Whatever! I probably won't update again until the…? 23rd sounds good to me. So…be prepared!

_InnocentGuilt_


	7. To Sleep

A/N: Blah. I'm so tired. I would say that I stay up allllll night to type this, but the truth is, I've had this for a while and I finished it's back up chapter two days ago…SO I'm just tired for no reason. Lol.   
Happiness for having ALMOST 60 reviews I don't know…I don't think any of my stories have ever done this well and it makes inexplicably happy! Haha! 

Anyway…I don't know what I want to say…I want to say something, but my ramble-o-meter is broken. So I'll ramble about having nothing to ramble about. Haha. I'm in a really good mood. I don't know why. I'm tired but happy. It's probably because I made some poor unsuspecting child cry…as has become my daily goal. I'm super mean. I should be flogged. I'm so FREAKING mean.

Oh, and I got to watch football, American football, that is. I don't know what it is about it but it made me soooo happy. Probably because the Colts won over the Patriots. I was so happy!

Moving on from my inability to ramble…which I proved wrong huh? Lol. Here's chapter seven!!! Yayness!

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Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep- Prelude 12/21 by AFI   
Ring…Ring… 

"'Lo?" Axel answered, picking the phone up from its hook by his bed.

"Larxene there?"

It was some guy as usual. One of her regulars, could-be dating if they did anything other than fuck, Axel could tell by his voice. It was one he heard frequently. He thought that maybe he should be fair and give the phone to Larxene, since she was actually home, but…

"No."

"Do you know when she'll be there?"

"No."

"Can you give her a message?"

"No."

_Click._

He pressed the phone down for what seemed like the zillionth time in so many moments since being awake. He really was going to find all of these losers, and burn down there houses; if only for the fact he didn't want them to call his house at before god o'clock any more. He rolled over, preparing for more sleep. It was only six after all, the needy losers.

He heard footsteps down the hallway. Figuring it was Ruxy or his father, he tried to fall back asleep. He would need all the sleep he could get if he was going to make it through the day. However, the door opened quietly, and he knew it couldn't be his parents; they didn't talk to him in the mornings. He turned over again, shielding himself from the harsh hallway light.

"Who was it, little brother?" Larxene asked.

He shook his head; not daring to tell her it was one of her dates. "Telemarketer," He answered.

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"Riku? You didn't come home last night?" Aerith asked, setting some food in front of him.

"How would you know?" Riku asked, having stared at his food for a moment. He put some of the waffle into his mouth and awaited her answer.

"I stayed the night. Now it's your turn." She said patiently, cutting into her own waffle.

Riku snapped his attention up to the young woman. Why had she stayed the night without calling to tell him? "I came home at midnight. Why'd you stay?"

She didn't look up to meet his eyes. "Sephiroth told me to."

"Do you do everything Sephiroth tells you to?" Riku said witheringly.

Aerith set her fork down. "Is it too hard to ask that you be civil for breakfast?" She said, still calm but upset at the accusation. "I made your favorite now eat before you have to go to school. Don't forget you have tutoring with Vexen."

"It was only a question."

"Fair enough. I only do what he tells me to do when he's in pain." She said, stabbing at the waffle.

"Angel's disease wasn't made to be pleasurable." Riku said.

That was the name of his disease, 'Angel's disease,' a rare disorder forced the nervous system to send messages of severe pain to the mind making the mind believe it was in pain while the body was fine. The mind began to deteriorate and make up scenarios, or blank out memories. Thus the need for the shots; they were stabilizers, and quickly set the mind back to its normal state. The problem with the drug, however, was that the body quickly got used to the doses and have to be updated as often as once a month. When the body had been intoxicated beyond its acceptance the subject would die.

The disease was treatable and over time could possibly be turned into a more manageable state of schizophrenia. Sephiroth would hear none of it though. Something had happened to him around the time he had been diagnosed with this and he just didn't care. He sank into some sort of depression and even seemed to hope that the disease would take him soon.

What truly boiled Riku, though, was that Aerith seemed to be indulging his brother. Letting him do what he wanted, instead of trying to convince her brother to enter some sort of clinic.

She huffed, setting her fork down gently. "Don't act like I don't try for him. I had to stick him at least three times while you were out." She demanded.

Riku didn't say anything to that. He felt too guilty to say anything knowing that other days, when Aerith didn't spend the night, Sephiroth was left alone. His mind could make up anything it wanted, and he was left to the mercy of it.

Maybe his brother wasn't trying to further his illness. Maybe it was Riku.

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"Hey, Axel where were you yesterday? I waited all afternoon." Roxas said.

Roxas felt a little bad for doing this to his stressed friend. He obviously had known where he was, he had sent Ollete on a false mission to tell Axel that the librarian needed to see him about a missing book (which Axel really did have, she just didn't know that yet.), thus he had headed straight into there trap. However, on the other side, if they didn't come up with some sort of plan, he would likely get his hair set on fire which would lead to him being on fire. It was something he didn't want to experience again.

"I'm so sorry." Axel said, forcing a look of apology. "I totally forgot. I went to Demyx's."

Just lie, he told himself. Lie, and they won't ask questions. Lie and you won't feel guilty.

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"I thought you were going to help me with calculus yesterday." Sora acted confused for nearly the same reason as Roxas. "Did you forget?"

Riku froze, midway through lighting his cigarette. He had just gotten out of Vexen's and had about ten minutes to spare before class started. Of course, he had expected the school to know by now, but looking around everyone was acting the same towards him. He shook his head. Why hadn't Axel told anyone?

"No. Uh, Aerith called. Sephiroth had an attack. I had to get home straight away."

Just lie and they won't ask questions, he told himself.

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"Do you want some of my salad, Axel?" Naminé asked, scooting her tray forward invitingly.

Axel shook his head 'no', not bothering to look at her. He was still transfixed with something over in the corner, so transfixed that he hadn't said a single thing to his friends during lunch.

Roxas glanced up from his food, towards the direction Axel was staring. How convenient that Riku was sitting in that corner today. He smirked, and then said to his friend, "Namie, he doesn't eat lunch. He's been like this since forever. Let it go."

"It worries me sometimes." Naminé said helplessly. "You're so thin Axel. It's like you're wasting away." She began poking his sides, feeling his ribs all too well for her comfort.

Axel giggled, trying to scoot away. "I get it from my mom." He chuckled.

She didn't look convinced, but she tossed her hair over her shoulder, sighing, "As long as you're sure."

"I am, Namie. Don't worry." With that said, Axel turned away from her, folding his hands under his chin to watch the other side of the room like a hawk.

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"I don't think this constitutes as food." Sora complained scooting something the school was trying to pass off as spaghetti around.

"It's not so bad if you drown it in salt." Kairi said, eating her food ravenously.

Sora looked at her in disgust. She could be such a pig sometimes.

"No you're just woofing it down too fast to taste it." Sora said, setting down his fork and pushing his tray away. "Well, I think I'm done for the time being. My appetite was just eaten by Kairi."

She giggled uncontrollably, covering her mouth to hide her open cackle. Hyena. That was her knew name.

Sora rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair to observe his silent friend. "Riku what's wrong? You haven't scolded me for being immature."

Sora followed Riku's gaze, finding his eyes settling with a laughing redhead. Riku hadn't said a word about the library cataloging room at all. Something Sora found completely odd; Riku told him everything…didn't he? He looked at Riku again, searching his cool and collected face. "Are you okay?"

"He hasn't said anything." Riku said quietly, his eyes never leaving his nemesis.

"Who?" Sora asked his friend, even though he knew the answer.

"Nothing, Sora." He answered. "Don't worry about it."

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"Who answered your phone this morning?" One of her 'friends' asked her; Zell she was pretty sure his name was. He was one of her normal ones; they shacked up about twice a week. Unfortunately, he called every five minutes as if the world was ending.

"What time did you call?" Larxene asked, playing with his phone (A silent hobby she had gotten used to after they 'went out'.).

He thought about it for a few moments, stroking his messy hair in thought. "About six." He concluded nodding his head in affirmation.

She thought about this for a few moments. Her mom and dad left a five every morning, leaving only two people in the house, so if it wasn't her, obviously…"That would have been my brother."

"So you were home?"

"Yes, why?"

"He said you were out."

"Did he?" She said, remembering what Axel had said about the Telemarketer.

"He does that a lot. Nearly every time I call."

Larxene patted his arm, which was draped around her casually. "He doesn't know what he's doing. He's still mostly asleep when he answers the phone in the morning." She said, putting a loving tone in her voice to make him believe it more, but in the back of her mind, she promised to try to find out what was wrong with him. Axel was becoming a little more off every time she saw him.

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A/N: I love drama…so much. **Sighs dreamily**. It's almost worth the depression I put myself into to be able to write this.

I hope you all love my drama too. I hope you like it enough to review, because your reviews are like air to me. If you don't review then I don't have air, and I die. That means that you don't have any more chapters… I'm not sure if that's a good threat, but I'm ZONING so I'm going to leave it be. Haha.

_InnocentGuilt_


	8. Playing Dirty

A/N: Yeah…So, I super love this chapter. It's where everything gets all sorts of super fun.

I want to let everyone know, I'm having a little bit of writer's block with Chapter 11. It's so super kicking my ass. So the next few chapters may be few and far between over the next few weeks to a month, because I have a feeling a lot of my chapters may go like this. But have no fear they will continue.

Anyway, here's chapter 8.

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The more I see, the less I know, the more I like to let it go- Hey Oh by 

_The Red Hot Chili Peppers_

"Well, I think it worked." Sora said in the only morning class he had with Roxas, Sex Ed. "But I don't see any _change_!"

Roxas scribbled notes down from the board, listening to both Mr. Saix, who lectured a group of students who weren't paying attention to his rules by eating in his class, and Sora who was complaining about his plan not going at super speed. "Sora, you can't expect them to just let their defenses down and snog each other in the school courtyard."

Sora sneered at his work for the day, "Oh yeah I can. Watch me."

Roxas sighed, "You are so impetuous."

"Do you even know what that means?"

He glared at Sora. "It was in my word-a-day calendar." He sniped. "Just have some patience with the Axel and Riku. It'll do them some good."

"But I'm bored. I'm bored with their fighting. I'm bored with their comebacks. I'm bored with them!"

"Why don't you get a gameboy?"

Sora was about to say something rude and unkind, when Mr. Saix came up behind them, snapping. "What are _you_ two doing? I assign work for a reason!"

They both snapped their attention to the work and notes given to them, their pencils working furiously. The blue haired man walked away, smirking in satisfaction at having caught the two devils mid-scheme. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they hadn't started talking again Saix walked to his desk, where he had papers to grade.

So, they were trying to shack up Axel and Riku, instead of getting them to fight. This was definitely interesting. It was a good idea now that he thought about it. It was cruel, twisted, and would involve a fair bit of cunning. The cunning part clearly taken care of by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum; however, the cruel and twisted part would obviously have to be taken up by people who had had experience in life. To excel in that part, they need experts.

Who better to deal in cruelty than teachers?

It was time for a staff meeting.

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Not too long after school had Sora caught up with Riku, intent on asking if he wanted to go over his house to play video games. It had been such a long time since they had simply hung out, and he wanted to see if he could get to the bottom of this insane hatred for Axel, but that was only mildly part of his plan. However, when Sora caught up to him, he noticed his yellow backpack was much less heavy looking than it would've normally been. He touched the bag gingerly, noticing it was much softer than it would have been a few weeks ago.

"Is there a reason you're molesting my bag, Sora?" He asked, pulling his cigarettes out of his pocket.

"It's lost weight. Are you paying some retard to do your work?" Sora asked, looping his arm through Riku's own.

He snorted, digging through his pockets to find his lighter. "Why would I get a retard to do my work? That makes about as much sense as you and you're aversion to butterflies."

"They're after me!" The brunette screeched, reaching into his messenger bag to fish out his back up lighter. Riku chortled, taking the plastic container so he could set his cigarette. "What are you doing tonight?"

Riku hesitated in taking a drag of his cancer stick. "I've…I've got to take care of Sephiroth." He lied.

Sora watched him silently. He felt terrible, but he didn't believe Riku. Not in the slightest. He shook his head softly, telling himself that Riku had done nothing to merit his suspicion. "Oh, okay. I was gonna see if you wanted to hang out. But we can do that later." He said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Sorry, Sora, I wish I could."

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Axel took out his lighter, repeatedly flicking it open. He was on his way to Demyx's house and Roxas had decided to walk with him until they reached his house, since it was on the way; that and they hadn't hung out in quite a bit of time.

He lit the lighter, running his fingers through the flame idly. He had forgotten about Roxas' acute dislike of fire.

"Axel!" Roxas said, tensing immediately.

"Sorry, Roxie." He said, pocketing the lighter in his jacket.

"It's okay." He said, rubbing his gloved hands together, glaring at Axel and his light black jacket that looked like it could barely keep him warm in summer, let alone in the looming months of winter. October had finally closed, opening November with its cold wind, and freezing rain. Therefore, Roxas was lumbering around with a giant _parka_, gloves, and a little blue hat with a fuzzy ball on top. Axel, however, walked around in a long-sleeve shirt and his jacket…the creep! He shivered, "What are you doing after you go to Demyx's?"

Axel sighed, throwing his head down in dejection, "I'm going to go to my house and wallow in self-pity."

"Oh. How original," He said blandly.

"I'm sorry. My creative muses are on holiday until after Thanksgiving. I won't talk to you until then." Axel sneered.

"Thank god. You're nothing without them."

"You're just deprived." Axel grinned in a winning way.

"Of what?" Roxas asked, blushing lightly while trying to duck his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Axel grinned, loving how easy it was to get the other to blush. "Oh, you know. Short, dark, and handsome." He wiggled his eyebrows, suggestively.

"He's not short! He's taller than me." Roxas said, though his face automatically lost color. He automatically covered his face with his hands, giving a little bit of a whine. "I wasn't supposed to give in that easy!"

Axel ignored the last bit and smirked when he said, "He's still shorter than me."

The blonde snorted. "I'm sure the Amazon women are shorter than you. You're like six ten, right?"

Axel raised his eyebrow. "Yeah, Roxie. I'm six ten minus about eight inches."

"Still, that's super tall for me."

It was Axel's turn to snort. "With you're threatening height of five foot four."

"That is threatening. I could totally bite your ankles off."

Axel laughed, loudly, ruffling the short blonde spikes.

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"I think that's completely asinine, Saix!" Xigbar yelled slamming his hand down, when Saix had told them all the entire reason; he had called all the teachers who had dealings with Riku and Axel.

His counterpart, Xaldin, smirked. "I think it's the best thing the little moon-struck freak has ever thought of."

Lexaeus smirked. "Have you thought about what this could do to the reputation of the school? If we're caught…"

"Caught doing what? Giving them assignments together?" Saix laughed a little.

"It'll never go passed that? You'll only give them projects together?"

"What else can we do? Lock them in the library cataloging room?" Xaldin asked sarcastically.

"It's been done."

"Oh, well. There went that idea."

"How many projects do you plan on doing? How many classes do they even have together?"

"Uh…" Saix checked the timetables. "They have Vexen and Xigbar together."

"Well, we know Xigbar's completely opposed to this. Vexen?"

Vexen didn't get his chance to speak. Luxord had already begun spouting off ideas. "Well, now," he started in his English accent. "What if we switched their classes to where they had most, if not all, their classes together?"

"How would we go about doing that?" Xigbar asked. "Why are we even still having this conversation!" He yelled as he realized he was egging them on. "It makes no sense! Make them work together so…what? They can kill each other? I will not be a murderer."

"Fine. We'll take a vote. Those who like this idea, raise you're hand if you think I'm a genius." Four raised their hands. "Those who are dumb and don't like my plan?" Another four raised their hands.

"Vexen didn't raise his hand." Someone pointed out.

"Vexen! Vote!"

"I'd rather not. The idea is ridiculous." Xigbar smirked happily. "However, I can't think of anything else to do with them." Saix looked giddy. Vexen leaned back in his seat, running his fingers through his long blonde locks. "Convince me."

Xigbar sat up straighter. "Simple. Just think about it. If we switch all their classes, pair them together in everything they do, it guarantees what? Murder? Yeah, let's just enroll in that." He rolled his eyes.

Vexen shifted in his seat. "Short, simple, to the point; I like it." He said thoughtfully. "Saix?"

"Imagine how happy they'd be!" He said, surprising even himself with his sudden outburst of feeling. "You all see it. Axel's just begging for Riku. And I think, given the chance, he would do some good for Riku. Axel's very simple, and Riku's not used to that. It'd be perfect!" He paused. "That and I need something to do other than work on, other than grade homework."

Vexen was silent for a while, blinking only after he realized his eye was twitching. "That was completely retarded, and I can't believe you said half of what you did." Xigbar looked very smug. "However, I think you're right and it does sound like just a little bit of fun." He sighed, dejectedly. "I'm in."

Saix smiled, in a superior fashion. "I just love it when a plan comes together."

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"Do you have to ruin the apartment before I get here? Damn, Axel! What did this used to be?" Said a young, dirty-blonde haired man as he picked up some melted bottle of…_something_!

Thus was the 'Hello' he received from his darling friend, Demyx, when the said blonde opened the door to his and his roommate's apartment everyday. Of course, the apartment was usually spotless when Demyx left, him being a little bit obsessive compulsive, but when he came back and his fiery friend had been in there…well you could tell his fiery friend had been in there. Everything was everywhere. His nice neat desk scattered with papers, things on the shelves ended up in the fish bowl, and something always melting in the hallway.

From the kitchen, Axel heard Demyx growled. "I'm gonna have to get a hose in here!" He yelled, not knowing where Axel had run off to but knowing he was here somewhere, and that when he found him, he would kick his ass.

"He can't be entirely blamed for it," said Axel's partner from the kitchen. Demyx walked down the hallway a few feet, turning to his left to see his roommate and, of course, Axel. The tin-haired man had calculators, receipts, papers, and pens scattered all around him, and he kept punching the calculator viciously, when it gave him numbers that, both the blonde and the redhead assumed, were not correct.

"Zexion!"

Demyx loved Zexion. Though sometimes Zexion wished, he didn't. Zexion wanted to love Demyx as if he loved the magnesium haired man, but he just couldn't. He was too analytical, too cynical, and too cruel. But Demyx never seemed to mind. He would do anything for Zexion. If it was asked of him he would die for the man, and he said so often, which only made Zexion feel worse.

"What are you doing home?" He asked; throwing the glob of sticky something ness--he did _not_ want to know-- away. He went to the sink to wash his hands, holding said appendages out in front of him as if he were afraid they might attack.

"I'm counting!" He said irately, though one could barely tell, his voice never changed. "I'm counting oodles and oodles of money from people who should not be allowed to live." Zexion was an accountant in a, fairly, high status law firm that handled nothing but aristocratic cases.

And Zexion was going to murder everyone in the business.

"Hi, honey. How was your day?" Demyx asked sarcastically, trying to scrub his hands off his body.

"Demyx!" Axel yelled, causing him to drop the scrubber into the sink.

He blushed and turned the water off, grabbing the towel to dry his dripping hands. He set the towel on the counter once he was done. After, he looked around the messy apartment, fidgeting just a little as his eyes landed on Zexion's messy stack of papers. He moved forward, and (a true testament of how long the two had lived together.) Zexion yelled. "Don't!"

Demyx stopped him his tracks, looking at his roommate with wide eyes. Zexion glanced up from his calculator. "I'll get it when I'm finished."

Demyx nodded, and then scrunched his nose at the pile of papers.

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Riku rolled the man off him when he heard his phone go off. "Hold on." He said, flipping the phone open, sighing, loudly, when he read '_Sora_' across the screen.

"Ignore it." The beastly thing told him, kissing his shoulder while trying to tug him further onto the mattress.

Riku pushed him off, jerkily. "I can't." He flipped his phone on. "Yeah?"

"Hey! Whatcha doing?" Sora asked.

He told the ogre to be quiet before returning to his phone. "Uh, about to take a nap, actually. Can you call back later?" He lied, putting a thick layer of sleepy accent to his voice, trying to make it believable.

"Sure."

Even Riku heard the hesitation in Sora's voice.

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_ring. ring. _

"Hey Aerith. This is Sora. Can I talk to Riku?"

"Oh, hi Sora. Sorry, but Riku's not here. Can I take a message?"

"Oh, did he leave?"

"No, he never came home. Why?"

"Nothing. Just, uh… You know what? Don't worry about it."

'_Why would he lie to me?'_

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A/N: Wasn't that just wonderful? I hate to have writer's block around this time, I may actually let it get to wear I only have one back up chapter so you can have more…but I really don't want to get to that point.

I hope you like this enough to review me.

_InnocentGuilt_


	9. Mad World

A/N: I want you all to know, I severely chipped two of my nails this morning. It has nothing to do with typing or this story but it makes me mad. I wake up and deal with demon spawn and this is the reward I get…All right so I may be a little over dramatic. And the demon spawn are only my niece and nephews, but whatever.

I hope you enjoy this. While I'm off at school getting killed by nazi teachers I will keep in mind that someone who enjoys this story is reading, and then I will cry.

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I find it kind of funny. Yes, I find it kind of sad, that the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had- Mad World by Gary Jules

Sora opened the door to Roxas' house calling out, "Hey!" and then slamming the door shut behind him. "Hey, Roxas!" He called again as he ran through the apartment at full speed.

"Sora! Keep down that racket. I don't get up till noon on weekends!" Phoenix, Roxas' mom, yelled from her room next to the kitchen. He giggled, close to a maniacal fashion, while he ran into her room, and jumped on her bed, scaring the heart and soul out of her.

"Phoenix! Let's have breakfast."

She groaned, pulling a pillow over her head--making her pale, thin hands and her sweet, long strawberry-blonde hair the only things visible. "Okay," she murmured, "you make breakfast."

He shook her, "You know I can't cook anything except popcorn."

"We'll have popcorn for breakfast."

"Waffles!" The brunette said exuberantly, "With eggs and a little bacon."

She groaned, making fake sobs in the bed. "What time is it?" She whimpered. Phoenix peeked her eye out from under a corner to look at her practically adopted son, whom she was secretly making plans to maim, later.

He turned around to look at her grandfather clock. "Ten." He said with a shrug.

She glared at him with her one eye. "You are a demon child."

"You're lucky, you can send me home." He said, pulling on her now limp arm. Phoenix allowed her body to be tugged out of the bed, straightening her pretty nightgown as she almost literally rolled onto the floor.

Sora kind of felt bad for pulling her out of bed before she was supposed to be. She worked two jobs to keep her and Roxas afloat. Ever since two years ago, the two of them had had some rough luck. They had been rudely uplifted from the life that Phoenix had carefully pieced together; their insurance wouldn't cover anything; so they had nothing. Roxas' father hadn't sent any support checks since Roxas turned thirteen, plus Phoenix was too proud to get help. Therefore, she worked as a secretary while they went to school and as a bartender during the nights, leaving the afternoon to her and her son.

She fumbled around the kitchen searching for her waffle iron, her skillet, and all her ingredients, whatever. Sora, however, made himself a great, big nuisance by hopping up on the counter in the middle of everything she was doing. She smiled at him sweetly.

"Go wake up my son." She demanded, yanking him off the counter unexpectedly.

Sora rubbed his knees. "You're like the evil Witch of the West." He grumbled.

"You must represent the Lollipop Guild." She shot back, adding as an afterthought. "Munchkin."

He chuckled humorlessly, before sneaking off to Roxas' room, located through a door close to the living room.

"Roxas?" He whispered into the dirty room. "Roxas, wake up. We're going to have breakfast." Inching closer to the bed, he saw his dear friend curled up on his right side, arms folded around his head so his left side was exposed. He walked closer, watching the giant scar come into better focus.

Roxas didn't know he knew about his scar. If he did, he would probably be mortified, as he was horribly ashamed of the flaw that curled over his shoulder and crawled down his chest, ribs, and side, finally fading off below the rim of his boxers. Sora thought it was remarkable, even beautiful.

Absently, he reached to touch the raised scar, flinching back immediately when Roxas began to stir. He smirked at the oddities of his friend. One of them being that if he was watched too long in his sleep, he would start to wake. Talk about being paranoid! Sora snorted, backing out of the room and pulling the door in front of him, so Roxas wouldn't suspect Sora watching him while he was sleeping. So that he wouldn't know that Sora had seen him without a shirt.

Once properly hidden behind the door, out of sight, and well, throwing range, he grinned evilly. "Roxas! Xemnas!"

He heard shuffling, a loud _thud!_ Then, "Where!"

The brunette took off around the house as a now shirted Roxas stormed out of his room screaming, "I'm gonna kill you, you overgrown _snake_!"

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"Riku?" The door opened quietly, revealing Sephiroth still in his light green pajama bottoms. Riku didn't stir to the voice. If anything, he sank further into his blankets, soaking up all the warmth he could, mumbling under his breath about a dream had. Sephiroth sighed, aggravated. "Riku!" He demanded. "Get up!"

Riku picked his head up immediately, unused to the direct tone of his brother waking him. He looked around, unsure of where he was, as well as what he was doing. Once he had his bearings, he turned over on his bed to see who had intruded his room at such and ungodly hour (He wasn't sure what time it was, but it wasn't wake-up time.). "Seph?"

"Get up. I want to practice."

Riku rubbed his eyes, tiredly. 7:30 in the morning…Riku was considering suicide, regardless he stumbled out of his bed. "Seph, it's too early." He mumbled, following his brother down the stairs. Five and a half hours of sleep? His brother was going to kill him. "Can't you wait till noon?"

"Nope. I'm on a vendetta to show you how to fight." The older said confidently. "I haven't stomped you for a while. I think it's time you remember."

Riku glanced at his brother's retreating form. "Remember what?" He asked rhetorically. "How to cancel out combos right before I kill you? I can't fucking wait!" He grumbled, still too asleep to be doing anything other than pressing the snooze on his alarm, then retreating to his room to change into his sparing gear.

Once he had changed, and had his Keyblade, he came back out, planning to wait on his brother. As he was passing the kitchen, however, he noticed that his brother was all ready waiting for him. Sephiroth was leaned over the table, katana beside him, writing something on a piece of paper. Riku inched closer to the note, barely recognizing the shaky scribble that was coming from his brother's normally steady hand.

"Seph, what are you doing?" he asked, his brows creasing in confusion. He tried to read the messy scribbles, which he was beginning to doubt were even words.

"I'm leaving a note for mom."

Riku snapped his gaze up to his older brother. "Seph…" He stopped, unsure of what to do. His mouth opened and closed, like a fish out of water, while his brother continued to scribble. "Seph, don't."

"Riku, if she wakes up and we aren't here she'll freak!"

"No, she won't."

He stopped writing and skeptically looked up at Riku. "How do you figure?"

"Seph…Seph, please." He looked into his brother's eyes, beseechingly. His brother was having another attack. Moreover, if Riku did something wrong, it could send Sephiroth into a fit.

"Do you want to give mom a heart attack?"

"It won't matter."

Sephiroth creased his eyebrows, confusion written all over his face. "What do you mean it won't matter? You know how mom is. She-"

"Was." Riku cut in quickly.

"What?" He whispered, his eyes becoming hazy with confusion.

"How she was, Seph. How mom _was_." He took a deep breath. "Mom died a year and a half ago."

Sephiroth watched him carefully, his eyes clouding with disbelief. "Riku, no, she didn't. She's asleep in her room."

"Sephiroth, no one's been in mom's room for the past year. The only thing in her room is dust."

He laughed nervously, backing out of the room. "Riku, you've surely lost your mind." He backed out of the kitchen, and began running down the hall to the master bedroom on the other end of the house. "She's just in here!"

Riku followed him, trying to catch him before he threw the door to the room open. However, as he rounded to the corner of the kitchen into the hall, he saw clearly that it was too late. The door to his mother's old room lay wide open to the world, his older brother standing in shock as he realized his mother wasn't in her bed. Riku grabbed a tranquilizer from the fridge, hoping against fate that Sephiroth wouldn't recover from his shock too quickly. With his needle in this pale hand, he snuck up behind Sephiroth.

"Seph?" He asked, worry more than evident in his eyes as he reached for his brother's arm. He pulled the appendage out, stretching it to where he could see his brother's veins.

"Where is she?" He asked quietly. "I talked to her yesterday."

"No, Seph. You didn't." He pulled the cap off the needle with his teeth, easing it slowly to the muscled arm before him.

"Riku, what are you doing?"

Riku slid the needle into the vein with practiced ease, "Just calm down."

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Axel leaned against his bedroom wall…upside down, contemplating a way to escape without his mom and dad knowing. He wasn't in their good graces since the field house had mysteriously caught on fire. They had no proof it was him who had done it, but the still principal, ZitNose, had called to express his concern for the tall redhead.

The worst part was he actually hadn't done it this time. He hadn't had his lighter since Hollywood had kicked it under the bookshelf in the library cataloging room. However, his father would have none of it. Ansem was dead set on the idea that Axel had done it, if only for the fact that he had done it every other time and seeing as that was the case, Ansem had full-heartedly agreed that Axel should serve detention every morning before school for the rest of his senior year.

He sighed, angrily thumping his head against the floor, causing a slight headache as the blood was sloshed around in his head. His blood thumped harshly against his eardrums, and he was sure he looked like a tomato, but he didn't care. This year was going to hell!

"Little brother! Get out here this moment! I want to go to the mall!"

Axel toppled over, his balance completely cut off when he had nearly jumped out of his skin. His blood flowed back to the rest of his body too quickly, and he got a head rush, while trying to stand. When he was standing without the risk of falling over, he realized the Larxene was standing in the doorway.

She smiled evilly. "Were you trying to find a center in you again, little brother?"

"More like I was trying to find a wall that would eat me." He answered. "So far my wall seems to think I need more salt."

She smirked. "I always thought you needed more sugar."

Axel gave her a sideways glance, grabbing his over-sized black jacket from his floor. "How often do you go around trying to eat me?"

Larxene shrugged. "You just look like one of those bitter foods."

He chuckled, letting her grab his arm and lead him down the stairs. "Here are the keys, you have you're license, right?" Larxene asked thrusting the shiny metal things into his hand.

Larxene used to have her license, but after having three DUI's in a row, they had revoked it until she was 25, forcing Axel to be her personal chauffer. However, he didn't have his own car, so they always had to beg their parents when either of the two were home, and then promise, usually Ansem, that they wouldn't wreck, drink, do drugs, or be home later than eleven.

Axel pocketed the keys. "Yeah. It's in my wallet."

"Where's your wallet?"

"Back pocket." He said, patting his jeans for emphasis.

Larxene nodded, opening the door and stepping through. Axel had almost completely shut the door when he heard Ruxy's piercing scream. "Stop!"

The door reluctantly escaped Axel's hand while the doorway revealed a bleach-blond, her blue eyes blazing with fury. "Where are you going?" She screeched.

Larxene stepped in front of Axel, as if to shield him with her minute size. "We're going to the mall." She paused. "Like you said we could."

She looked between them. "I didn't know you were going to take Axel!"

Larxene let out a short laugh of incredulity. "How'd you think I was getting there?" She asked. "I'm not walking."

Ruxy glared at her daughter. "I thought one of your dates was going to take you." She said. "I didn't think you would take him!" She jerked her head rudely up to Axel.

"That's what you get for thinking."

"You can't go if you're taking Axel. He's grounded."

"Dad said nothing about him being grounded. Only that he had to go to detentions in the morning. Besides," she said defensively. "He didn't do it. He told you that."

"His word against the principal's doesn't hold!" Ruxy yelled.

Axel put his hand on Larxene's shoulder before she could start again. "I'll stay." He said, pushing her aside so he could head back in.

"No!" Larxene gasped his hand harshly, almost enough to make him wince. "You won't. You're going to take me to the mall. We're going to shop, have lunch, shop some more…" She looked at her mother defiantly. "And then, I think we should go see Demyx and Roxas."

"Larxene…" Her mother warned.

"And I'll talk to dad when we get home." She soothed, tucking his long red hair behind his ear.

"You are not going to go behind my back on this!"

"I'm not." Larxene smirked, more than furious with her mother. "I'm going in front of your back." She jerked the door out Ruxy's hand. She turned back to her brother, saying as if the entire altercation hadn't happen. "Let's go!"

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"He thought your mother was still alive?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah. He was leaving a note for her and everything!" Riku yelped, having been asked that exact same question by her at least four times before.

"That's unusual behavior, even for him." She sighed tiredly. She hadn't been able to get any sleep after her double shift before Riku had called her. "Does Xemnas know?"

"Yes. He said he would come over to sign whatever paper he needed to as soon as he could." Riku sat on the couch, stone faced, and cold. He hadn't moved the entire time Aerith had been there. When asked if he had had anything to eat that day, he merely shook his head. To top it all off, he was unusually patient today.

Aerith sat beside the young man, trying to comfort him with her mere presence. "Are you okay with all this?"

Riku snapped his attention to her, his entire face hidden behind a well-constructed mask. "I don't care anymore. She's dead. He's not too far behind. There are some facts you just can't hide from."

Aerith winced at his empty voice. "Riku…"

"I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me up when my uncle gets here."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Larxene watched her brother adoringly, as he walked around the shop, looking at the random devices around the electronics store. He ran his long fingers over the glass counter lightly, leaning over to inspect a new attachment for his iPod. He shook his head trying to get his 'bangs' out of his face, only serving to shake more of his hair in front of him. She smiled. "You have such beautiful hair. Just like your mother."

He looked over at her, smiling weakly. Against all the odds, Larxene remembered his mother, Lenore, vividly. Their parents didn't know this; Ansem was trying to keep the illusion that they were all one big happy family, no matter what Ruxy or Larxene did. But Larxene remembered Lenore like she had only died yesterday, instead of sixteen years ago.

"What did she look like?" He asked like he did every time she brought up his mother.

"She had the most beautiful blue eyes." Larxene smiled. "I swear they were almost silver."

'_I like silver_,' he thought.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora walked into his own house, smiling as he heard his father, Cid, yelling at whatever football team was on the screen.

"Actually make a goal, you good for nothing slob!"

From his spot in the kitchen he heard his mother, Acylone, tell his father, "They can't hear you, honey!"

"They might if I yell loud enough!" He said aggressively.

Acylone laughed, "Okay."

Sora shrugged off his bag, leaving it by the door like he always did. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" He yelled, walking leisurely towards the living room.

"Sora! The Twilight Trackers are down by seven! Come watch the game with me." Cid yelled, waving his son to the chair beside him.

Sora grinned as he sat in the seat next to his father, though his smile fell when he saw commercials coming on the screen. "That bites!" He complained, throwing himself against the back of the recliner.

'_You've all been waiting for it!'_ An announcer said through the television. _'You've all wanted it! And now, here it is! The dating game…for gays?'_

"Ugh! How disgraceful!" His mother immediately stood up, a look of disgust on her face. "Can't they find something better to do that put faggots on the screen? What the hell are they trying to do? Corrupt the rest of the world too?" She quickly stomped out of the living room, as if watching the said television commercial would rot her mind. She completely missed the look on her son's face, or the worried glance that Cid passed him.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: Oh, how'd you like it? I'm getting all into personal life and I think I like it. Not sure, but I think I do.

**It may start taking me longer to get chapters out!!** I'll probably start making chapters longer, and if I do that means it'll take longer for me to get them out. I'm sorry. Please don't beat…

But leave a review if you must.

_InnocentGuilt_


	10. World's Finest

A/N: So, I went against what I said like…two chapters ago and I'm letting my chapters run down to where I only have one back-up chapter so blah.

I'm sorry that I haven't been replying to the reviews. The last few times I've updated they've been pretty sporadic. I try to remember, but like with this chappie I only just decided to post it.

Anyway, I hope you like this.

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_Life is like a puzzle. You can only see the print when the pieces fit together._

Axel slowly strolled down the hallway of the science building. The first day of his detention began today, and his father had dropped him off on his way to work. He had been depressed when he had first woken that morning, thinking that Larxene wouldn't be up when he left at six. However, to his surprise, she had woken him as usual, having made eggs and bacon for him.

Lately, Larxene attuned to him more often. She had actually cancelled a few dates just to spend time with him. Okay, so spending time with her usually landed them both in trouble. But Axel was eighteen and she was twenty-one, so honestly, their parents had a limit on what 'punishment' was, even if the ideas were pretty ingenious. Yet, it was the fact that she was giving up her own activities to spend time with her little brother. It meant a lot to him.

As it turned out, their escapade off to the mall had proven that he indeed was grounded. As well as the fact that it was now extended to the week before Christmas. Not that he was disappointed…just bored.

His musings were cut short as he entered Mr. Vexen's room, where his detention was to be served.

He knew he had bad luck. He had had bad luck since he was three, when his mother died. Honestly, his bad luck was beginning to get to him, mentally. There were only so many times that fate could lead him to being in trouble with this specific person, right? Was there a glitch in the system with this person?

"Ah, Mr. Wise, you're here." Mr. Vexen said, standing in front of all of his desks as if he was giving a lecture, although there was only one person occupying a desk. "Take a seat. I was just telling Mr. Melosine you would be joining us."

Axel stayed in the doorway his eyes transfixed on Riku, who glared right back at him.

"You've got to be joking." Axel muttered under his breath, walking towards the other side of the classroom, as far away from Riku as he could get.

Riku didn't say anything; he angrily let his eyes rest on his books.

"Mr. Wise? Do you have any homework you can work on?"

"No." Axel answered, "Unlike some people I can…"

"Mr. Wise, my experience with you in prior years tells my you are going to say something rude, and demeaning, so let me take care of this problem before it even begins." He went to his desk and produced two beakers from the inside one of the many drawers he had. Then, scrounging in one of the other drawers, he pulled out a handful of droppers. Carefully, he put four in each beaker. Lastly, he pulled out tape and pressed a piece onto both with their names written on them in magic marker.

"Consider these your chances. The first one is a warning," he said, pulling one dropper out to get his point across. "The second one will earn you a page long report over an element of my choosing, and citing for your work. I will not have plagiarism." He said pulling another plastic pipette out and laying it down next to the other. He plucked out the third one. "This one will get you an entire afternoon stuck in my ingredients closet, sorting, alphabetizing and cleaning. Something that has not been done in the better part of four years, I assure you. And this one," He whipped out the fourth one. The one that spelt out the two young students' eminent doom, they were sure. "This one will get you a full week, seven days, sitting next to one another and learning everything about the other that you can possibly get in that amounted time space. And at the end of these seven days you will write a three paper report over your partner, front and back, on college rule paper over what you have learned and if that information had changed your opinion of the other in anyway."

He looked at his two students in a close to gleeful manner. "Am I in any way unclear?" He questioned.

Riku got the intense impression that Vexen was enjoying this more than he probably should be. There was a glint in his sage green eyes that was just…not quite right. And for fear of his safety in school, and in this particular teacher's classroom, he nodded. He wasn't sure if Axel had dome anything. Knowing the redhead, he probably hadn't.

"Good," Vexen said happily. He dumped three of the droppers into each beaker. "I always did hate warnings." He said putting the two extra in his pants pocket.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Naminé smiled at Ollete as she walked into the office.

"How was you're night?" She asked the office aid.

Ollete looked up from her phone network, her bright green eyes showing all of her shock clearly. Then she shrugged. "I've decided never to speak to Hayner again." She said like she did every other morning.

Naminé smiled, walking over to the teacher's mail, preparing for her morning rounds of mail-girl. She sat down next the brunette, still smiling as the story went on, and on, and on.

It wasn't that she didn't care to listen, or even that she was even tired of listening. It was just that…well, Ollete and her went through this over other day. Hayner would say something he obviously didn't mean, try to take it back, while instead only making it worse. Ollete didn't really have a problem with it, in fact, Naminé was pretty sure that she got a kick out of it. Naminé had never thought it possible, but she was pretty sure that Ollete got pleasure out of making Hayner suffer, meaning Ollete was a sadist.

It was a very interesting detail for someone so innocent.

"Okay." The blonde said, picking up the sorted mail.

"Did you hear a word that came out of my mouth?" Ollete asked with a toothy grin. She knew the answer.

"I think I stopped listening when you opened your mouth." She said with a slight blush that came up every time she was caught, no matter how much the other conversationalist didn't care.

Ollete laughed, poking her cheek. "You're all pink, Namie!"

The blonde ducked out of her reach, grabbing her little pink clutch, calling. "I'll talk to you later Ollete!" as she walked toward the door.

Ollete waved at first. Then she waved her hands around wildly. "Oh, no! Don't go!" She yelled, firmly stopping Naminé in her tracks. "I almost forgot!" She said as she jumped out of her seat to run into the back room.

Naminé stood, shocked, in the middle of the room, with mail in her hands, and her clutch under her arm. Meanwhile, Ollete trifled around in the back room, which was filthy, the blonde would attest to that. Naminé went over to the counter, close to the entrance of the office, and set her things down. She sat in the chair she had been using earlier, sighing out of her occasional wave of boredom.

"Ollete!" She yelled after five minutes of sitting in that chair. However, instead of the calculatedly calm voice she heard…nothing. "Ollete?" She jumped out of her chair to make sure one of the many piles of paperwork hadn't fallen down on top of her friend. "Ollie?" She started to run to the backroom.

In the doorway of the room that she had lost her friend, she saw why it might have taken her more than a few seconds to retrieve whatever it was she was trying to retrieve. Naminé gingerly stepped into the room, afraid of what was actually hiding in there. She stepped over a few backpacks, a _mountain_ of paper work, and a doodle bear? She didn't want to know.

"Ollete! Where are you?" She cried heading further and further into the room of despair. She looked around the room frantically, not seeing how the other girl could have disappeared so easily. Close to the end of the place, she sighed in relief as she saw another door. Thank god! She hadn't walked into the twilight zone. She opened the door. "Ollete! What was so important that you had to brave the wild…blue…?" In front of her was the biggest floral garden that she had ever seen. "Wow. Is this just from today?"

Ollete, who had been rummaging around from bouquet to bouquet, stopped and smiled. "From yesterday afternoon and this morning."

"Wow! What do I need from in here?" She said, touching a bunch of carnations.

Ollete scoffed. "Guess."

"Who gave me flowers?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. He had pink hair, but he didn't give me a name." She said, completely missing the look of indignation that crossed the blonde's face as she pulled an entire garden, Naminé was sure, of tiger lilies out of the masses. "These are for you!" She said thrusting them into her hands.

She looked down and the orange and brown plants in her hands.

He knew they were her favorite, tiger lilies.

"Thanks, Ollete." She said, pulling the card off them. It wouldn't do for anyone to be snooping. "I'll pick them up after school."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Saix? I believe in this ridiculous plan of yours, but I think that may have been pushing it."

"No one was hurt. I made sure of it. It was executed _perfectly_! It was just the stunt Wise would pull."

"You blew the football field house up! That's just a little out there! Axel has only ever blown classrooms up."

"He needed to blow off steam…you know what? Just hush. It got me what I wanted. It's not as if he's going to juvie."

"Just don't pull anything like that again. It's dangerous and it's tampering with a student's life."

"Don't worry, I have what I want. I can now move on."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Mr. Wise? Mr. Wise, come with me," said the school counselor, Rowena Fairbanks.

Axel sighed, slamming his General Music book shut. "Fucking bullshit." He breathed, following the small brunette out of the room. As he trailed behind, he ran a hand through his hair, feeling a sense of foreboding settle in the pit of his stomach. Why would she want him? She only pulled people out of class to tell them that they were dumb, who needed to change their schedules. Whereas, he was sure that had answered his question, he didn't see where he had screwed up on his transcript.

"In here." Rowena said, holding the door and following in after him. "Have a seat." She said kindly. "This may take a while."

He flipped the chair around, choosing to sit in backwards instead of traditional style. He watched her carefully as she sat behind her desk, pulling out his folder. "I was going through your transcript over the weekend, and I noticed that there were some…gaps, for lack of a better word."

He scoffed, just his luck. "How?" He bit.

She looked, impatiently. "Well for starters, you didn't have both years of Spanish. Only one…Why is that?"

"I didn't like the teacher."

Rowena sighed. "There are going to be instances in you life, Axel, when you have to work with people you don't like. It is not excusable just to throw in the towel. You won't be able to do that when you get a job will you?" She looked at him imploringly, while he just looked bored. "Look, you're going to college, right?"

"So my father threatens."

"It'll look good on your transcript. The better your transcript looks, the better chance you have of getting into a college miles away from here." She said, authoritatively. "That's what you want, isn't it?" He didn't answer her. In fact, he just crossed his arms over the back of his chair and laid his head down. She nodded, knowing she probably wasn't getting anywhere with him. "This isn't the only place. You have fillers for this year. You only have electives." She exclaimed rummaging through his papers. "General Music, first hour, Physical Education, second hour, Art theory, Linguistics! There are only art classes for most of the day."

"What can I say?" Axel asked. "I'm trying to get in touch with my inner artist."

"Axel, you need to be serious about this." She said, exasperatedly. "I've come up with a trial schedule," She pushed a pink paper in front of him. "I think you'll enjoy this a lot better than what you have."

Axel took the sheet, angrily, his poison green eyes going over every detail of his "demo-schedule." He nodded disgustedly, not liking what he was seeing at all. "You got rid of all my easy classes!" He said. "I have all my needed classes. All my maths, all my arts, and all my languages! I took all of the classes I needed so I could take bullshit classes for my senior year. Why do you want to load me down with crap that will just push more homework on me? What the hell, do I need calculus for? And-and what is this? World History 101? What's the point?" He crumpled the obnoxious pink sheet up, then threw it on the desk. "My answer is no."

Rowena sighed patiently, "You need something to take up more of your time." She unfolded the paper. "You're bored. I can tell."

"No, I'm not! I'm relaxing!"

"Blowing up the field house is _not_ relaxing. It's juvenile delinquency!"

Axel slammed his hand down on her desk, "I didn't…_dammit_!" He clenched his fists; trying to count to ten before he let his mouth got carried away. He took a deep breath, gritting his teeth together. "Fine!" He said. "Whatever! Do what you want and give my new schedule to me when it's done!"

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"The teachers," Naminé started after taking a sip of her orange juice. "The teachers have actually joined in your race to set Axel and Riku up."

It was lunchtime all ready. Naminé, who had been sitting with her cousin, Roxas, and Sora, had already finished her sandwich within the first five minutes of the fifteen minutes they had before Riku and Axel arrived. She had heard Vexen and Xigbar talking about Axel's new schedule on her mail delivery, and thought she would share the news.

"Really?" Sora asked. He had been sitting sideways in his seat, leaning over to Roxas to talk about whatever those two talked about.

"How exciting to have the teachers on our side." Roxas said excitedly. "This should make for a most interesting game."

Kairi scoffed irately. "Can't you losers find something better to do other than play matchmaker? That was so last year!" She said.

Roxas snapped his attention over to her, taking a deep breath in order to start degrading her.

"Roxie! Did you watch the football game last night?" Sora said, drawing the blonde's attention from the Hyena.

"No. Why?"

"I…wanted to get the score from you." Sora said off the top of his head.

"Oh, the Dragons won." He said nonchalantly, now having forgot about Kairi.

Naminé stood up, grabbing her clutch. "Roxas will you come outside with me? I have to find Ollete to see how her relationship is going."

Roxas nodded, picking up his hat, while shrugging on his giant marshmallow coat. He began following his friend out of the cafeteria, only stopping when he reached into his pockets to get his gloves. "Namie, where are my gloves?"

"I don't know, Roxas?"

"Neither do I!" He exclaimed turning his coat pockets inside out.

"Roxas!" Sora called out from behind him. He twirled around, staring at his brunette friend with curiosity. Sora ran up to him, still only in his red hoodie, with his messenger bag beating against his leg. Once in front of the blonde, he held out his hand, showing him the missing gloves with a crooked grin. "Don't loose those." He said. "Your fingers might fall off with all the cold." He pulled Roxas' blue hat further down on his head affectionately; making sure it covered the pale ears. "See ya in Economics." He said as he ran off to his table, again.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Mr. Wise!" Rowena called, her sensible heels clicking annoyingly against the tile floor. "Mr. Wise, I have your new schedule. I think you'll like it." She said with a smile. She handed him a white sheet of paper, folded cleanly in half with his name written in curvy, fancy writing.

"That's bull, but thanks for the vote of confidence." Axel snatching the paper from her, then stuffing it in his pocket without looking at it. "I can't wait." He glared.

"You start on that tomorrow!" She called after him as he walked away without being dismissed.

"That's nice."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Naminé walked out to the parking lot, waiting for her ride.

She had already grabbed her flowers from the office; it was harder for the office lady to find it since she had taken the tag with her name on it off. In the end, she had had to go to the floral room herself to fetch them.

The young lady gasped as she felt arms wrap around her, a faint chuckling in her left ear.

"Did you like the flowers I sent you?" Asked an all too familiar voice.

Naminé relaxed, falling back into her captor. "You really shouldn't do that. It'll be my luck you get stuffed in jail for dating jail bate the month before my eighteenth birthday." She smiled, letting him lead them across the parking lot to his car.

"I wanted to do something nice for you. Just say you liked them." He crooned, taking her flowers from her as she settled into his black bug.

She looked up, grinning at the way his pink hair fell over his hazel eyes. He reached out to stroke her cheek, with well-groomed hands. "I did like them, Marluxia. They're my favorite."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: Yay story line! Lol. That's pretty much all I have to say. I really have a lack of ability to ramble today.

_InnocentGuilt_


	11. Like That

A/N: OH MY FREAKING GOD! You'll never guess what happened! I have over one hundred reviews! That's more than 1 0 0! OH GOD! It's freaking orgasmic. AND! It's all thanks to YOU GUYS! I have never had this many fans in the entirety of my story life. I thought my life was awesome if I got five reviews per chapter in Easter is a Pagan Holiday. But YOU guys are so freaking amazing and I…You…I love you all! That's it! Plain and simple, I love you! I can say it. I'm a big girl. I LOVE you!

…Look at all those exclamation points…wow. I'm really happy. You should see the happy dance I'm doing, spinning around in my computer chair clapping my hands like a freak…makes it really hard to type.

ANYWHO! Chapter 11, for your happiness alone.

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We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are- Anail Nin 

Axel sighed irritably as he looked at his new schedule as if it were the devil reincarnate. Spanish 2. Calculus. They had let him keep his position as an Aid to the English 1 class, as well as Chemistry before that, and English 4 after his lunch. Then he had History, and he finished the day with Physical Education.

At least he got to beat the crap out of things for his final class of the day.

He sped out of Vexen's room, his homework for the next three days done with, practically running to Ms. Almuerza's room, where his day would only worsen. He was sure of it.

He didn't notice that he was being followed by Riku, or that they were headed for exactly the same room.

"Ah, Mr. Wise!" Ms. Almuerza said, her voice nasally, as her fat fingers folded on her desk. "It's nice to see you again." She glared, her beady black eyes hardening at him. Her glare intensified when he bowed to her. "Decided to grace me with your presence agian?"

Axel smirked. "You know I can't live with out your ever furious gaze burning my neck when I walk down the hall." He said, grabbing her spanish two book, and workbook.

"Speaking of burning, try not to set my desks on fire agian! It cost more than your hyde is worth!"She commanded. He walked back over to her desk, letting her snatch the books out of his hand, so she could record the number.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me." He said, taking his book back with a smile. He heard someone walking in behind him, but he didn't pay attention to it. It was almost time for class to begin so several people would be filing in right about now. "So, I take it I just sit down near the back out of your site?"

"Oh no!" She said quickly. She grinned, maniacally. "No, I want to see every breath you take. I'm not going to have a repeat of your Spanish I class." She shook her head, his lip twitching. "Oh, I'm going to monitor you every move. So you need to sit directly in front of me."

Axel blanched, not liking the look in her beady little eyes at all. He grasped his books tighter in his hand, shifting his weight to his other foot.

"You're going to sit by Riku, for the rest of the year."

He turned around quickly, seeing his favorite silver-haired antagonist standing up in a slow calculated manner. Every muscle in his back was stiff and taut as he turned around, divulging his wide, angry eyes. His hands were clenched at his side; his lips thin, while he said, "Please tell me that was joke."

'This confirms it.' Axel thought. 'Everyone in the fucking universe is playing against me!'

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora kicked rocks on the way to his house. Not having anything of great importance to talk to Riku, who was right next to him, he grasped for whatever entered his mind first, which happened to be Axel's not so mysterious arrival into their Calc. class.

It hadn't been anything dramatic. There had been no blood, no fight, no claim for ultimate position as super dumbass. Overall, it had been beyond boring and Sora had desperately wished for a magic gameboy to pop out of nowhere.

"Hey, Riku…why's Axel in our Calculus class?"

Riku twitched unconsciously. "He's switched into three of my classes." He growled. "Three. Which brings my total class number with him up to five! Two was fucking enough. He had to go and stalk me? How am I going to get through this?" He shook his head, his silver hair falling over his face.

Sora laughed, feeling only a little bit sorry for his friend. "Riku, do you mind me asking why you have this inane dislike of Axel?"

"Because he's a prick. He's an insensitive jerk that should be flogged." Riku pursed his lips, trying to think of something else he could pin on the redhead. He threw his hair over his shoulder. "He threatened to light my hair on fire too."

Sora walked silently for a few moments, his eyes turned heavenward, trying to quell the urge to say,

"Riku that is possibly the most retarded thing that has ever left your mouth."

His friend completely stopped walking, glaring at Sora, very much upset for no reason at all, and he knew it. "Well, what the hell do you want me to say, Sora? There isn't a great reason for me to dislike him! I just do! It's a simple as that!"

"Fine!" Sora yelled, throwing his hands of in defense. "Why couldn't you just say that?"

"Next time, I'll be sure to." Riku said irritably.

Sora sighed, not liking the fact that he had just gotten into an argument with someone he rarely saw for unknown reasons.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Leon's." Riku lied, not wanting his friend to get suspicious of him.

Sora smiled, and clapped. "Oh, I'll go with you! I haven't seen him in a while."

Riku sighed, not liking that he would actually have to deal with Leon and not liking how he had to keep lying to Sora.

Or, the fact that his friendship was slowly crumpling out from under him, and it was his fault, entirely.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"When did you get transferred into my History class?" Roxas asked, absently, his dark blue eyes watching as the concrete passed him.

Axel sighed, adjusting Roxas who was hitching a ride on his back, so he wasn't slipping further and further down. "When Ms. Fairbanks decided that I should use my brain this year." He sighed. "She changed four of my classes, three of them with Riku."

Roxas laughed. "Oh, I bet you're just so happy about that!"

Axel snorted, "Fucking thrilled." He said, his smile falling with ever step he took. He didn't like to admit that he noticed his nemesis that often, but there had been something off with his silver-haired whore. His eyes seemed hollow. Hollow, the same dull that Axel always saw before Riku crawled into a car.

"What are you doing today?" Roxas said, breaking Axel's train of thought.

"Dunno."

"Wanna stay the night? My mom has the night off. She wants someone to cook for."

"Why don't you invite your boy toy?" He said with a slight smirk.

The little blonde flushed, ducking his head, as was his habit. He finally sighed, apparently upset with his inability to keep from blushing when Axel mentioned Sora. With his embarrassment in check, he said, "Because he's on a secret mission to find out why Riku spends so much time away from his friends and family." Roxas paused. "That and you need to eat. You're getting way too thin for my liking."

He poked his side for emphasis, but Axel didn't pay it any attention.

'_Am I the only one who knows?'_

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The next few days passed without incident. Riku said nothing to Axel, and Axel didn't really make an effort to get him to do otherwise. He wasn't going to say anything about Sora getting suspicious. He didn't honestly care. Yet, days passed by, and he noticed that look. When Sora looked at Riku, he could see that doubt, that slowly growing discontent.

He didn't know why he cared so much that Sora was getting that look. He didn't know why it bothered him the more he watched Riku, the more he noticed the Riku was becoming withdrawn. He couldn't understand why he cared at all. But he did.

One Wednesday he decided to corner Riku, to tell him. Riku needed to know that his life was disintegrating from under his feet. He needed to know that he was losing his dearest friend to a secret, a secret that Riku only kept so he could continue his romps for easy money. Axel shook his head, wondering why he was doing this.

"Riku!" He called, smirking as the other turned in his slow, irritated manner.

Riku glared at him with his hollow eyes, his body tensing. Never taking his eyes off the other, he walked toward the redhead, making sure to be out of arms reach. Just in case, he told himself. Just incase he tried to do a repeat of the Library. "What do you want, Axel? I have better things to waste my time with."

"I think you should tell someone about your after-school activities." Axel said, leaning in close so no one around heard them. The ring was already forming; closing in on them to see what today's bloodshed was about.

Riku leaned away, his eyes flaring angrily. "Since when have I cared what you have to say?" He sneered, daring Axel to continue this conversation.

"Since your little friend is catching onto you. How about that?"

Riku blanched, glancing at his friend, who had only now pushed his way through the crowd. He looked back to the pale face in front of him his eyes solidifying once again. "How would he be aware, _Axel_?"

"You're not exactly stealthy, Hollywood. Anybody going for a joyride could catch you." Axel grabbed his arm, shaking him a little, trying to get the silver-haired brat to listen to him. "The entire school could find out about your job blowing…"

Whatever Axel had been going to say was cut off when Riku's face twisted in pure hatred and he shot a sucker punch straight at Axel, catching him square in the jaw. Satisfaction rose in his chest as Axel's head was knocked to the side with the impact, and he stumbled a few paces. However, such satisfaction was cut short as Axel popped his jaw, holding it tenderly as his face turned slowly toward Riku, green eyes glowed with anger unlike any he had seen. His thin lips were twisted into a sneer, and he stalked toward Riku so quickly there wasn't any time to back away. He grabbed Riku by the back of the neck, halting all of the other's movement in the brief second before he was flung into the lockers.

The wind was completely knocked out of the younger teen, his head was swimming, and his left arm and shoulder hurt from the impact with the solid and not moving locker system. He grasped his hurt arm by the elbow, gasping for air to fill his shocked lungs. He slowly sank to the ground, his eyes wide with shock, pain shooting every which way.

Axel didn't even freeze before he started walking towards him again, his face set and his hands clenching painfully. Riku turned around, falling to rest on his elbows as the angry redhead stalked towards him, his eyes slowly filling with unfamiliar fear. However, before Axel could reach the other, Sora had come from nowhere to stand in front of his prey, pushing his chest angrily as Roxas came to pull his arm sharply.

He allowed himself to be pulled back, but he still stared over his shoulder, watching as Sora pulled Riku to his feet and they walked in the direction of the nurse's office. Riku looked back just long enough to see that Axel was still glaring at him ominously before turning his head forward. However, in those three seconds, Axel was able to see that fearful glint, still lodged into his eyes. It was then that Axel realized what he had done. He had completely shut down Riku.

He thought he should be happy that he had finally put the snot in his place. On the contrary, as he watched Riku rotate his arm experimentally, and he, himself, rubbed his jaw, he felt angry with himself. Riku hadn't done anything that had warranted all of that. Riku had thought he was going to spill his secret. And even if the younger had hit him, was Axel's only intent to hurt Riku? Or, was he going for something a bit more carnal?

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Are you sure this is still a good idea, Sora?"

"No, but we've locked ourselves in this downward spiral. I fear we may have no choice."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: Don't you just love a good ending? It's a damn wonderful thing. This isn't one of the longer ones, as you can probably tell, and the next chapter won't be long either. BUT chapter thirteen will. I know; it's mapped out on paper, and wow is that going to suck. So enjoy these while they last.

But one of my friends had a brilliant idea! (He's amazing like that.) He suggested that I write a super long chapter, then a short chapter, and rotate them. That way you can have a sucky wait…then a not so sucky wait. Isn't that fantabulous. Everyone give a round of applause to Lucas. He's beautiful like that.

So, now you have my grand plan. I have to go to prison…and by prison I mean school. I'm pretty sure prison has better food. Thanks for reading.

AND FREAKING THANK YOU FOR ALLLLLLL THE REVIEWS! I love you all to death. (Mine, not yours.) Hope to hear from you all again.

_InnocentGuilt_


	12. You shouldn't

A/N: Oh, my gosh! These chappies are getting SO hard to write, and less funny. It's so depressing. I need a stand in comedian for this story! Yeah.

THANK YOU TO ALLLLLLL MY REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH! I DON'T CARE IF I TOLD YOU INDIVIDUALLY! IT MAKES ME HAAAAAPPPPPPPYYYYY!!!!

On with the story!

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"_You should talk!"_

"_Yeah? Well, you shouldn't."_

_There's not much to retaliate after that really. So we all kept our mouths shut. –a story by my friend_

Sora took the peroxide from the high school nurse, pouring some of the liquid onto a clean rag.

"Hold still." He demanded; a grim expression pulled across his face as he pressed the cloth to the cut on Riku's forehead. The lunar haired boy hissed, flinching away from the cloth, but Sora grabbed his jaw, making sure his head didn't move out of his grasp. "I said, 'hold still'." He said again, glancing at the elderly lady to their left.

Riku glared at him, "Don't bother."

"You said you would let me clean the cut. You won't let Ms. Curry; you'll have to settle with me." Sora told him, glaring as best he could at his best friend. He pressed the cloth to Riku's cut again.

Riku hissed but didn't flinch away, feeling lowly enough for being chastised by Sora. He cast his eyes downward to the floor, feeling nothing well up inside him besides the anger and discomfort he now felt towards his adversary. He shivered, the feeling not going unnoticed by the brunette, but the older chose to ignore the questioning stare.

He closed his eyes, giving into a sudden wave of exhaustion. He could still feel Sora's gaze on him, the suspicion sinking into his pale skin like acid. His jaw clenched in Sora's small hand, his brows creasing together. He felt repulsive, keeping secrets from his friend, getting angry so quickly at nothing he could even put his finger on now that he looked back at the fight he had had with Axel, or just now, with Sora. He felt unworthy to keep such a good friend around him. He felt unworthy to stay with his brother, when it was clear that he was of absolutely no help to Sephiroth. He felt unworthy to even breathe.

All because he slept with men for money.

He felt all the filth accumulated from sex with so many different men, crawl over him, all over his skin, making him less and less with each passing second. If he just stopped, maybe it would get better. He could go back to the life he had…

He could go back to being Sora's friend. He could return to making grades he actually dissevered. He could go back to baby-sitting his older brother every second of day. He could go back to wondering whether they could make it through the month, whether Aerith would stop being able to help them, whether they would be able to afford it if Sephiroth finally agreed to go into a clinic. He could go back to a place with no future.

He felt the gauze bandage being placed over his wound.

He could feel his internal-self shaking his head. There was no future here. The filth he felt now was only a step closer to freedom. His distance would make it easier to leave, make it easier for the left behind to forget him. He would leave enough money for Aerith to support his brother. He would leave a note for Sora and Kairi. He would change his name so his uncle couldn't find him.

He would leave. The people he left behind would be better for it. And he would be content to live alone for the rest of his life.

Until then he would continue his 'job.' He wouldn't tell a soul about it. He would only have to invest Axel to do the same.

"You're done." Sora said, taking a step back.

'It'll make it easier for Sora to let me go.' He told himself. 'It'll make it easier for him to hate me.'

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Axel left the school campus, not ready for a lecture when found. Roxas was right on his heels, shrugging his jacket on, along with his hat and gloves, his blonde hair bobbing in the wind.

"What was that about?" Roxas asked shrewdly, tugging his blue hat on so it would cover his ears.

"Nothing," The redhead responded quickly.

Roxas sped his pace to a jog, trying to keep up with his friend as best he could. He ran around to where he was in front of Axel, incredulity etched carelessly on his face. "Nothing?" He scoffed. "Axel, I have seen a lot of nothing, and that was definitely something! What the heck did I just miss?"

"Nothing. It's not the first time we've fought."

"It's the first time you've looked wild enough to kill him." Roxas yelled, leaning against the redhead's chest to get him to stop walking so damn fast. "Forgive my concern, or better worded, my doubt, but there's something going on. You're the only one who knows about it."

Axel looked down at his clever friend, his green eyes flashing weakly, his lips itching to tell someone Riku's secret. He opened his mouth several times, trying to formulate the words needed to say what needed to be said. But for the life of him, he couldn't. "There's something going on with him, something he won't talk about."

"How is that any of your business, Axel?"

He glared down at Roxas. "Trust me. It's something I have to ask myself more than once a day." He looked back in the direction of the school, which was only half way over. "Go back to school Roxas, you'll be filed under truant if you don't."

&$&$&$&$&$&

Naminé stood in the disserted hallway, staring at the blue lockers that Riku had met so intimately just ten minutes ago. Her violet eyes swept over the entire hallway, finally setting on her cousin at the other end. "They still think this will work?"

Kairi looked at her with cool eyes, nearly matching Naminé's in color (it ran through their family), and smirked. "It won't. There's nothing there." Her eyes glared at the lockers, reinventing the fight in her mind. She saw nothing that Sora and his nimrod accomplice could link up between Riku and Axel. Their hatred for each other was even askew. "There's nothing to connect."

Naminé nodded, not looking at her cousin. "No. Nothing at all." Though she had said it, she couldn't help but think that she had seen the flare in both of their eyes when they were standing so close to each other. Maybe something made the two so good for each other. On the other hand, maybe it was just their understanding of each other. After all, they both shared one trait that made them so distinguished from the crowd…

"They're just two losers begging for attention. There's nothing in their future. They are barely in their future." Kairi said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't see how you can be so cruel to one of your best friends." Naminé breathed. She couldn't believe that there was once a time when Kairi had been sweet. The young woman in front of her was so void of any emotion, of any feeling.

"It's easy. I look out for number one…and it's not Riku."

Or maybe they were just both feeling unwanted from the people they had chosen to love. But still it stood truthful…

…they were both lying.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Sora, what's wrong?" Roxas asked, finding his 'soul mate' in an abandoned classroom, his head in his hands, utmost, his brilliant eyes closed off from the world. The blonde stole steps closer to his friend, till he was standing before Sora, with a worried look on his face.

"Do you ever have the feeling that you're losing Axel?" Came Sora's response, muffled greatly by his hands that covered his mouth.

Roxas shook his head; his hand coming to rest gingerly on the taller one's neck. "No, why?"

"Because I get the distinct feeling that I don't know who Riku is anymore."

"Why don't you go find him again?"

He shook his head in disagreement. "He doesn't want to be found, else I would still know who he was, Roxy." The brunette answered, finally lifting his head from his hands to look at his friend's light blue eyes.

Roxas smirked, humorously. "It never deterred you before."

&$&$&$&$&$&

"And Riku, the bastard! He hits me!" Axel seethed to his sister, pulling his hair back viciously to tie it in a rubber band. "He hits me in the middle of the hallway. For only trying to help him! I'm going to have a bruised jaw!" He paced to and fro, his sister's attention following him curiously. He sighed furiously. "Well, to hell with him. To hell with him and his secret. He can guard it by himself." He decided, throwing his hands up in the air with his conclusion.

Larxene took a sip of her lemonade, her eyebrows creasing, slowly. "Axel, what secret is he hiding? How is it scary enough that he would hit you?"

Axel scoffed, sitting down on his twin size bed. "Trust me! If you knew this kid, you would agree with me when I say his secret could be that he sniffs glue and he would hit you." He shook his head angrily, some of his bangs loosening from the loose ponytail that was holding the masses of hair he had.

The blonde woman tilted her head to the side, her right eyebrow quirking curiously. "That doesn't answer my question."

Axel said nothing, only sat on his bed, staring at her with nothing to say.

She nodded in understanding, becoming more and more interested with each word that Axel didn't let slip form his lips. "Is this the same Riku Melosine that you were stuck in the library with in October?"

"Yeah. Why?"

She looked at the ground at her brother's feet. She had forgotten about the name, 'Melosine,' but now that Riku had taken a place in conversation again her ever inquiring mind had started searching for the name even harder. "I just feel like I've heard that name somewhere before."

'Melosine…Melosine…What is with that name?'

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A/N: I hope you all review. It keeps my warm on cold, loveless, winter nights. Seriously, that's how codependent I am on my reviewers. Isn't that sad? You know what would be worse? Keeping me cold on a cold, loveless, winter night. Yeah. That's just cruel.

InnocentGuilt 


	13. The light is out

A/N: **Sigh**!!! This was a fucking BITCH to write. Ow, it hurt me inside. **Nods** I'm so not even joking. I was ready to delete this chapter and the entire fucking story half-way through. But I didn't….because I love my fans. And I know there are a few of you out there who would just FUCKING kill me.

POW! I'm dead. And then they would enslave my soul to write it. So I wouldn't get away even in death. It would be fruitless. So I'm staying alive and eating. Because I couldn't eat if I were only an enslaved soul.

Yeah. This is what I think about on a daily basis. I think I need therapy!

Anywho. Here's your story!

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For reasons unknown, the light at the end of the tunnel has been extinguished. - Dunno 

Vexen walked into his room with a slow and calculated pace. His face showed to be stony, cool, and maybe even emotionless. When he saw his two students sitting in their chairs, opposing each other from both sides of the room, he shook his head, releasing a deep sigh. He leaned his books above his desk, dropping them suddenly, glaring when he heard Riku gasp in shock. He sat down, opened his drawer and took out their two beakers with their names written across them in Vexen's messy scrawl. He set them down with a harsh 'clunk,' a sneer slowly curling on his lips.

"You're out!" He said in a voice so low his students had to lean forward a little to hear. He grabbed one jar, the one with Axel's name on it, and slowly moved it over to hover above the trashcan that stayed by his desk. "You have both skipped strike one." He said, dumping all of the pipettes into the garbage. "You have skipped strike_ two_." He set the beaker down, switching it for the one that read 'Riku.' "You have gone straight to strike three!" He threw the droppers into the trashcan, setting the glass on his desk again. He stood once more, stalking to stand in front of his desk so he could properly stand over the two of them ominously. "You're out!"

He moved to the table, one that neither of them had noticed before now due to the mountains of science folders that covered it, along with a few ring stands, and wire gauzes. He carefully moved his ring stands, tossing his other small items onto his desk before carelessly throwing all of the folders onto the floor, not bothering to curse the fact that paper scattered out of them all over his floor. He made sure the chairs were empty then turned back to Riku and Axel.

"You are no longer required to sit by each other for a week. Oh, no! You will sit by each other until the end of the semester! And your report will not be three pages; it's going to be eight! It's still required to be front and back on college rule paper. And it will not just be for me!" He shook his head, the sage green eyes narrowing at the two of them. "Oh, no. I have spoken to your English teacher, and we both feel that it would be imperative that your paper not be just for giggles, but that it be for a grade in both of our classes. So, in light of this, it is only logical that your paper be worth 50 of your semester grade in both Chemistry, and English." He took a deep breath, fixing his composure to that which he had entered the room in. "Move you shit over to the table!" He demanded pointing to the table he had cleared just moments ago.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Much to Riku's dismay Vexen made an appearance in all of the classes he had with Axel. Mrs. Almuerza who already had them sitting together, gave a fat smile and demanded that the two of them work on special projects together for the rest of the year; uncovering the cultures of different, Spanish speaking countries. Mr. Lexeaus set the two in a special table in the back of a room so "Riku could help Mr. Wise catch up in his Calculus work." Vexen demanded that they sit at the table he had cleared off for them in the morning, thinking the folders that he had scattered on the floor were missing now. In English, Xigbar sat Axel right next to him and made them work on their paper, still demanding that their paper over the Ansem reports were due next Monday. Their history teacher wasn't there, but Vexen made Axel and Riku that promise that he would talk to him the next day.

Directly after Riku's seventh hour study hall with Vexen, who seethed throughout the entire day apparently, sat by Riku the entire class time, making sure his work was nothing but perfect, Riku shot out of the school, before any higher official, namely his uncle, could find him. His day had slowly spiral from shitty to hell, he didn't need his uncle to help with that. He just wanted to get to 10th and Hollywood, tune his life out, and go home.

However, as he passed the Q-building of King Mickey High, he heard an all to familiar, annoying voice hollering, "Hey! Hollywood!"

Riku growled, his hands flying to pull on his hair irately, cursing the heavens above him for letting no rest for the wicked. "What?" He snapped harshly, pivoting on his heel instantly, noticing how Axel, the one and only, didn't flinch from him when he yelled like Sora did.

The redhead, hair still wet from the showers he had taken just seconds before after working out in the gym, jogged up to him, his poisonous eyes glowing, as he said, "Let's get started."

The lunar-haired man didn't say anything as he pulled out his cigarettes and lighter, taking a stick out and holding it in his mouth while he lit it. He took a drag, taking the cigarette from his lips. His hands shook a little as his arms returned to his sides with little controlled discomfort. "No." He told Axel, staring at him with, what was surely, wide, scared eyes. Any anger he had felt earlier being replaced by the need to stay away from the demon placed in front of him.

Axel cocked his head to the side, smirking a little, enjoying the other's obvious discomfort. "Why not, Hollywood?"

"Because I hate you." Riku said with finality, taking another drag from his cigarette. He glared one last time to Axel, before stalking away, heading towards 10th and Hollywood, and leaving the other one to stay where he was.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora threw paper airplanes from his place by his computer; his red shoed foot resting on his desk, while blew a spike out of his face. Roxas, his partner in crime, lay on Sora's bed, reading Sora's old game magazines. They had been this way for the last two hours; every once in a while Sora would get and email from one of his friends and he would read the latest joke to the blonde who was staying the week with him (though they hadn't actually told anyone, it just happened that way). Roxas would occasionally throw out a game that he wanted to play, and Sora would mention something he had heard from the several people he talked to through out the day.

Mostly they were trying to ignore the conversation both new would have to be discussed sooner or later. _What were they going to do about Riku and Axel?_

Roxas puffed his lips out, making his random 'duck face.' He still didn't bring up the subject; instead he found something else to speak about. "I want to do something. I've been through this magazine twice." He said throwing said magazine onto the ground.

"Wanna go to the mall?" Sora asked, grabbing another paper from his printer, folding it carefully, making sure it would get maximum glide time, before launching it into the air.

"Sora, we were kicked out of the mall for a reason."

"Are they going to do a full body scan as soon as we step into the mall?"

Roxas rolled his eyes, snatching one of the several paper airplanes from the floor, crumpling it. "No, but if that Goth store owner is there, we are so in Hell!" Roxas grumbled, chucking the wad of paper at his accomplice.

Sora rolled his eyes, over exaggerating what Roxas had done just moments ago. "What's the likelihood that he'll remember us? Honestly?"

"Sora," Roxas said, as if talking to a small child. "You completely collapsed an entire store full of displays, posters, and shelves. It's not something one easily forgets."

Sora pouted, "You make it sound as if it was all my fault. You helped!" He accused.

"I did not! I was a merely an innocent bystander." At the other's glare, the blonde continued. "Who happened not to try to stop any of the mayhem, laughed like a madman at the scene, and assisted with aiding a fugitive, otherwise known as you." He ducked his head in mock shame, his eyes looking up at Sora through his lashes, in a way that made Sora forget all about their minute problem of Riku and Axel.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Zexion!"

Demyx entered his apartment, closing and locking the door behind him, while grabbing a handkerchief out of his back pocket to wipe down the brass knob and lock.

"Zexy!" He called again, walking down the hall of his shared apartment. He looked in the kitchen as he passed by it, noticing the distinct lack of buzzing devices that Zexion found so wonderful. He frowned, his thin, blush lips pursing in confusion. He walked further into the apartment, glancing into his room (Because he had a habit of stealing Zexion's shirts, and the tin haired man always wanted then back) and then in the other man's room, still noticing a distinct lack of Zexion, though he usually left work early on Thursdays. "Zexy!" He cried out vehemently, much like a five year old in a game of hide and seek engaged in finding a hider that would not stop hiding.

"He's going to be home late tonight Demyx!" Some one called from his small living room. Someone who could be trying to find a way to blow up his television even as the blonde stood in Zexion's doorway doing nothing.

"Axel?" He jogged to the television room. "Axel, what are you doing in here? Why aren't you in my kitchen causing mass mayhem?" He asked with his hands on his hips, confusion biting his face in a most unfashionable way.

"Well, I could always remedy your disappointment, my darling." Said Axel sarcastically from his spot he had folded himself into on the couch. He was on the lovely grey loveseat, stomach down with his head turned towards the television so he could watch to short bursts of people that flashed on and off the screen as he flipped through the channels. His long hair, which had looked just smashing this morning, Demyx was sure (Axel was a narcissist when it came to his hair), was now done up in a loose bun that looked as if a small child had attacked him with a hair tie.

Through all of this, the classics signs of Axel depressed state, the first thing Demyx said to his friend was, "Take your boots off!"

Axel made a sound, a mix between labored breathing and snoring, as he picked his feet up off the armrest, before letting them drop back onto the table again. "I can't. They're too heavy." He half-slurred, half-drooled against the cushion; Demyx would have to wash that when Axel left.

The blonde sighed, now having taken a second to calm down, he noticed how absent the redheads normal presence was. He stomped up to him, like the good friend he was, so he could untie Axel's boots, and toss them to the floor with an air of disgust. Axel only said, 'thank you,' where on normal days he was delight in how easily Demyx fell for the depressed scene.

Knowing such a thing caused Demyx to worry. He gingerly made the other move and rotate so that Demyx could sit, while Axel could still lay down with his head in Demyx's lap. "What's wrong, babe?" He asked, only having seen Axel like this twice in the entirety of their friendship.

The other sighed, twiddling his thumbs on his chest. "I know this kid." He started, looking down to his perfectly straight nose to watch his thumbs. "And we, uh, kinda hate each other. The thing is, though, I don't want to hate him. I barely remember why I hate him, but I do." He looked up at Demyx, with a frown. "It's just confusing." He finished, upset with his explanation, but content to let the television rob him of his conscious thought.

Demyx watched him for a few more seconds, tilting his head to the side as he saw a foreign expression latch onto Axel's face. What do they call it?

Want?

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Riku started on his way home, stopping by the baker's shop where he hid his worn yellow backpack. He waved at the baker's wife who made sure no one ever touched his bag, and sometimes would leave him gifts for his journey home. He didn't know if she knew what he did every afternoon to late night, but he was sure she had an idea. She obviously didn't seem to mind though. Riku thought she took pleasure in treating him as her child, or chore, whichever; the entire city knew both of her sons had died in a war years ago.

She waved back with a smile on her worn face before returning to her dough. She was preparing for the next day, Riku had slowly come to discover. She did this every night before she went to bed, while her husband cleaned the ovens and countertops.

He shouldered his bag, pulling out his cigarettes. Once one was lit, hanging absently from the pale lips, which were puffy and a little red from earlier, he started walking down Hollywood, making sure to stop at each street he encountered so that he didn't get run over.

He hadn't gone far from 10th street when he heard, "Riku!" and his body immediately froze in its tracks, his heart thumping wildly, his cigarette moving oddly as his lips trembled. He was too afraid to turn around. But when he heard his name again, louder this time, and with more authority, he knew it would be stupid to run. So, he turned on his heal, meeting the faces of Cloud who had called his name first, then Leon who had called afterward, his voice having more of an impression on Riku than Cloud's did, and in so, stopping Riku when he was demanded to.

"Riku? What are you doing out here?" Cloud called, his hand loosely holding onto Leon's. They pulled closer from their place ten yards behind the lunar-haired boy, closing in on Riku, in turn making him feel cornered, trapped.

Riku shook his head, his cigarette finding its place quickly between his fingers as he began to talk. "I, uh, I had some errands to run. Major rushes these days." He said, stupidly, cursing his idiocy as they looked to his hands for his bags, or items.

"Riku…?"

"I decided they weren't worth it. I'll come back for them when I have a car to put my things in." He said, uncomfortably, but he didn't stutter. He smiled at the two, a rare thing for the two of them to see; for some reason, Riku and Leon couldn't be around each other for long without grating each other the wrong way. "I've got to get home. It's late. I don't want to be raped out here in the big city." He said halfheartedly, practically running away from the other two before they questioned him more.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

It was Friday afternoon, the day after all the teachers had put their plan into action by forcing Axel and Riku to sit together, when Kairi found herself walking around from place to place, looking for someone to keep her entertained. She was at school early, due to her mother and her carpooling in the mornings and afternoons. She had had to drop her mother off at work and home was just too far away from the school to make the trip and turn right back around. So, instead, she was biding her time until someone came to take her boredom away.

Unfortunately, she was beyond early; the only thing she met were empty hallways, when opening a door, even emptier classrooms. She was sure there had to be something worthwhile, hiding in the teachers' desks of the rooms she had looked into, but someone had once told her the school was laced with cameras everywhere. It had never been proven true; however, she didn't want to test the theory.

All of her aimless wondering brought her to the K building, where the science labs were located. Most of the teachers' doors were locked, giving Kairi the inclination to think that maybe science teachers were too paranoid for their own good. However, as she reached the last room in the building, Mr. Vexen's, she found the door hanging wide open, with light falling out onto the dimly lit hallway floor. Like a bug drawn to light, she went towards it, her eyes taking great curiosity in what lay in Vexen's room so early in the morning. It was just so odd to see someone larking about the school before even most of the teachers.

She looked in the room, noticing first off that Riku and Axel were in the far corner, at a table that she had never known to be in Vexen's room. Axel sat facing her friend; his hand buried in his long fiery hair, with his other hand resting over a sheet of paper. She saw his lips move randomly, his eyes flashing to look at his paper then back to Riku, but the other would have none of it. He kept his clear eyes glued to his homework, giving no hint or care that Axel was asking him questions.

_They are barely in their future._

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

At lunch that day, after Naminé and Roxas had abandon their table for Axel, then Riku had sat down with them, Kairi gave Riku a withering glance, her curiosity re-sparking the instant she saw him.

"Riku, why were you in Vexen's room this morning?"

The eldest of the group caught her gaze, his managed eyebrows creasing in confusion on how she would know, she supposed. When Sora's eyes came to join in the staring contest, he quickly grasped reality with a shrug. "I'm in Vexen's room every morning." He said simply, without another thought.

Kairi opened her mouth to further her interrogation, but Sora cut in instantly, an indignant look on his face as he turned in his chair to face Riku. "Since when have you been going to Vexen's in the morning?" He demanded.

Riku glanced at him, his eyes masked and hardened. "I've been going for the past two weeks. Why?"

Sora shook his head lightly. "You never told me that."

"You didn't need to know."

Sora scoffed, glaring at his friend in a hurt manner, but Riku didn't notice. He simply ate his sandwich, staring at his plate and nothing else. He shook his head, his brown spikes falling around his face, and his bottom lip sticking out just a bit further than his upper. He threw himself back against his seat, thinking over what Riku had just said.

'_You didn't need to know.'_

…_It didn't used to matter._

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora sat in Cloud's apartment, with Cloud and Leon. It was odd for them to be in Cloud's apartment. They usually spent their time in Leon's house, because, well…because it was a house. But something had tickled their fancy and they were now at Cloud's place.

They weren't actually doing anything. They were only sitting in the kitchen, with coffee, water, or some fizzly soda that Sora brought over every time he visited. Leon and Cloud were talking quietly over something only the two of them knew about, while Sora mainly just thought. He thought about Riku, and his slowly growing absence from the brunette's life. He and Riku had been fighting an awful lot over the past year. At first there arguments were controversial, started by Sora spending time elsewhere, never being around anymore, or the other way around. But lately, it was getting ridiculous. The drop of a hat had them arguing.

It hurt really.

"We ran into Riku late last night." Cloud said randomly, bringing Sora out of his reverie, with his soft voice.

Sora looked up to the platinum blonde, his eyes curious. "Really when?" He asked, hoping maybe it would lead him to the reason Riku was so aloof.

Cloud shrugged, returning his attention to his and Leon's interlocked fingers. "That was what was odd. It had to be close to midnight." He said, stroking Leon's long thumbs.

Sora's eyebrows furrowed. "Where was he?"

Cloud stopped in thought, tapping Leon's hand idly. When he couldn't think of it, he looked to his boyfriend for help. Leon sighed and said, "Close to Hollywood and seventh, around the bakery, close to the Cinema 17." Cloud agreed with him, nodding his head to show that what Leon said had to be right, because he was the one who knew where everything was in this city.

The small brunette didn't see any of that though. After Leon had said Hollywood, something had sparked in his mind.

Hadn't Axel always called Riku, "Hollywood?"

Why Hollywood…? 

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Over the next week and a half, Axel never stopped trying to get Riku to talk to him about his life, love, and tragedies. The obstinate redhead seemed determined to ruin every single one of his school days. While Riku may have been trying to keep his cool, he was losing his patience rapidly with each second that the overgrown Raggedy Andy doll opened his abnormally large mouth.

Today was no different. He had spent all day ignoring the random questions, such as:

"Where were you born?"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Why don't you answer my question?"

"Does you mommy know you're stuck up brat?"

All of this was enough to make Riku consider murder, then maybe suicide to get away from Maleficent's; he was sure that would count as both strike one and two for his uncle. Needless to say when the day was over, he was more than thrilled that he was closing in on a weekend. No school, no homework, no friends, no uncle, no six foot five, annoying, redhead to…

"Oh, Hollywood!" Came the singsong voice behind him as he made his way passed the gymnasium. He would have to make a note to himself to find a different escape route home. Until then…

"You're not going to follow me around like a lost puppy dog! I'm not going to divulge my life to you just because Vexen wants us to be all chummy! Fuck off!" He told the taller one, his fists clenched in agitation.

Axel adopted a look of command, crossing his arms over his chest. "No! That's exactly what you're going to do!" He told Riku, as if there was no other choice for the smoker. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't just for Vexen anymore! It's going to hurt two of our grades! Science and English! I'm not going to fail again just because you're too withdrawn from the world to talk about anything."

"Then you're going to have to make it up! I'm not talking to you." Riku said decisively, walking away in hopes of leaving the redhead standing still, as he had the first time they had had this conversation.

It didn't work as well as he had hoped.

"I'll talk to someone then. I'm not going to fail because of you." Axel said, keeping up with Riku perfectly, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked as if Riku and him had been friends for ages. He smirked at the younger man, knowing how upset he must be growing.

"Who are you going to talk to? My uncle? First off you wouldn't talk to him if your life depended on it. Secondly, my uncle doesn't know shit about me. Not anymore." He shook his head, pushing Axel away from him, when they started walking too close for his comfort.

"Fine. I'll talk to your little friend. Seeing how much he knows should be more than interesting."

"You can fucking leave him out of this."

"Then you can start giving into my will." Axel smiled, not fearing to look into the angry eyes, which glared at him with hatred.

For a few moments they only looked at each other, willing the other to give in. Axel only grinned, his hands still in his pockets, completely relaxed about this altercation. It only served to irritate Riku more, his mind slowly screaming, 'get him to leave'. He growled. "How about this? I'll write my paper, and you can write yours, and a week before we'll switch and you can add your cute little opinions and I'll add mine."

"He's giving it to Xigbar! You think he hasn't noticed our writing styles? Hello dip-wad!" Axel yelled, shaking his head humorously.

Riku took a step closer to Axel, pointing his finger up at his face. "I'm not going to divulge my life to you! Get off my back! Make it up if you have to! No one else knows my life and I'm not going to shed my secrets to you!"

Axel grabbed his arm, pulling his even closer. He knew he didn't hate Riku, and that he really didn't want to be so cruel to him all the time. But Riku had a weakness, a weakness too useful to pass up. "Why not? I know what no one else does. It's a good start." He said.

Riku forgot about the library. He didn't try to back out, but he didn't try to hit him either. On hindsight he wouldn't know what came over him, but he leaned up, just a bit, so close to the other he could practically feel his breath. "You wouldn't get me." He said, before his mind blanked, and he reached onto tiptoe and pressed a quick harsh kiss to Axel's lips.

Axel scoffed. If he had been under the same impulse as Riku he didn't stay that way. He pushed Riku away from him forcefully, causing the silver haired man to fall. "No one's as complicated as they make themselves out to be. Maybe if you would sit down and breathe you would see that." He was too angry to stay there anymore, so he wiped his lips, and stormed off leaving Riku, just like Riku thought he had wanted him to.

Riku, suddenly, didn't want to be alone anymore.

"Just because it's not complicated doesn't mean it's easy." He said to himself, pulling the dead grass under him, before tossing it into the air. He didn't care that it would be in his hair, on his jacket, or in his backpack. He'd have to care about people to do that.

He decided he didn't care about anyone, anymore.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

At home, over the weekend, Riku didn't go out once. Axel's parting words had stuck with him, for some absolutely retarded reason. He had spent the entire weekend pondering whether his life really was hell, or if he himself had made it that way. But pondering this while caring for Sephiroth tended to make him think that there was no possible way this could be his doing. Surely, some god must be out for his soul to make so many terrible and gruesome things happen to him. Sunday afternoon especially proved this:

He had woken to Aerith yelling for him, as he nearly always did what she was there. However, unlike previous times, she had gotten it under control before he could break through the door. His proof standing true when he heard Aerith's soft voice from the other side of the door. Riku stood there, hand hovering over the doorknob. He didn't know what possessed him to stop, to listen. These days he had been doing many things he hadn't quite been sure of the reasons.

Still he heard her voice.

"When will you let me take you to a clinic?"

"Never." His brother wheezed so softly he could barely understand what he had said through the thin doors in their house. "There's no point. It won't help." He was sure of this. Really, Riku was as well. There was no help for his brother.

"How are you so sure?"

"How much of that tranquilizer did you use? More than half." He demanded, his point being made when she didn't answer. She didn't answer because she knew what he was getting at. Sephiroth was becoming nearly completely tolerant to his tranquilizers.

"You're brother doesn't need this." Aerith tried to appeal to him. It was a poor attempt. Riku hadn't really been there for his brother in the past year and a half. He doubted that he would really even care if it affected Riku at all. "He doesn't even know how to deal with this, Sephiroth."

"I won't go, Aerith." He said firmly, in a tone that demanded no argument. "Stop this. Riku's fine. I'll be fine. We'll be fine…until I go."

Despite Sephiroth's sharp tone, Aerith continued, trying desperately to get the older of the brother's into a clinic. "How are you so sure? Have you seen him? He's fading more with each breath." She said softly.

Riku stopped listening then, not wanting to hear what else was said. She found him weak. His brother didn't care about him. No one knew him anymore! He was slowly becoming a faceless wanderer who would rely solely on the random men who picked him up. He would never get out of here! Never! There was no life after this! There was nothing after this. There was no him, after this.

There was no way that he could change this. It wasn't something he could get out of.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The next day before calculus, Riku saw Sora talking to Axel. In that small moment, Riku noticed how downtrodden the other looked, depressed to say the least. Then, when the brunette noticed Riku he shook his head and entered the classroom, without even a 'good morning!' to the lunar haired man. Axel just watched him with cool eyes, smirking slowly, then mouthing, "Good job, Hollywood."

Riku only stood in the hallway, the pain he had felt from Sora's outright cold shoulder left him immobilized. The younger had never done that before. He had never walked off and left Riku like that. It was always Riku who left, but never once had he thought it would hurt like this. He always thought the two of them had shared some somewhat retarded, detached friendship that allowed them to have other friends, yet rely on the other when needed, meaning Riku could leave without a thought of his friend. But, Jesus, this hurt!

The bell rang, him robotically entering the classroom, ignoring the firm tongue lashing from Lexeaus. In his seat, he copied the notes thoughtlessly, still unsure of how to deal with the new pain he felt stabbing his heart, lodging a lump into his throat. He looked over at Axel, the spawn of all of this hell. It had to be. He was what caused Sora to do that to him. It was his fault. He told Sora; he told…

The bell sounded; the entire class jumped to get away from the devil that was Calculus. Lexeaus assigned homework as they left. Riku didn't care about the assignment, though. He quickly caught up with the redheaded, pyro, freak, grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of the building around a corner to a dark secluded part of the school, between the buildings.

"What were you talking to him about?" Riku demanded, pushing Axel's chest. Whatever that snot had said caused this! There was no other way Sora could find out! Sora wasn't that clever!

Axel raised his eyebrow. "Him? Which him do you mean? We have Tidus, and Hayner, and Wakka, and…"

"Don't fuck with me! God dammit, you know I meant Sora! What did you tell him?"

"Riku, I didn't tell him anything."

"Then why did he look at me like that?"

Axel quirked his head to the side, "Like what?"

"You saw him! You know! You mocked me about it!" He yelled, not caring where he was or who heard him. He was angry.

"I told you, your little friend was catching on!" Axel said, suddenly turning things about when he pushed Riku against the other building. "It's your own fucking fault that you didn't listen to me. He's not naïve, Riku. He may look like a bubble head, but he still has eyes!" He glared into Riku's eyes. "I have half the mind to tell him for you."

"You don't dare!" Riku snarled. "He doesn't need to know!" He started walking away, having shoved the other away from him. It struck him mildly that he had been walking away from their fights a lot these days, most fights, really. But, as he rounded the building corner, he discovered Axel would still have none of it.

"Look at what it's doing to the two of you!" He demanded, not even ten feet behind Riku.

The lunar-haired smoker whirled around on his heel, causing Axel to nearly bowl over him. "Would you keep your mouth shut if I screwed you?" It was a snap decision, something that hadn't really had time to develop in his mind before it had tumbled out of his mouth, but it worked. It had to; it was the only plan he had. It was the only way he knew.

"What?" Axel yelped.

"He can't know. No one can know! If I let you fuck me will you keep your mouth _shut_?" Riku asked bitingly.

"No!" Axel said disgusted by the idea that Riku would stoop so low. "I…" He was going to say that he wouldn't tell anyone. That he could keep his secret with out having a personal Riku-toy. However Riku didn't think that was where he was going, and he took the initiative to push Axel to a wall, pressing himself enticingly against Axel.

"You'll like it. I promise." He said, gently wrapping his fingers around Axel's neck to trail nips and kisses over the pale, slightly freckled jaw before him. "You won't want to tell anyone." He whispered. He was completely sure of himself. He knew what he was doing here. He was good at this. It was his job, after all.

"Riku…" He groaned, trying to find the effort to push the smaller man off of him.

The lunar-haired teen let his hands roam over the bony body that he had trapped. "I'll make it worth your while." He said, effectively cutting anything Axel had to say off when he quickly unbuckled the black belt, undoing the button and fly and slipping his hand inside the other's pants.

Axel let Riku stoke him a few times, not that he could have stopped him if he had tried. The reluctance he had felt earlier fading quickly as he became more aroused. Then, quick as a flash, it vanished all together, and he pressed Riku onto the wall, a slight jingling heard from the belt buckle that clanged lightly against his leg, peering into the still clear aqua eyes, unfazed by lust anymore, that battled with his own hazy green. Riku watched him expectantly, his eyes never leaving Axel's.

The redhead sneered. "Fine." He growled, his voice low and raspy with excitement. "My lips are sealed." His look turned predatory, maybe even possessive, as he let the well-hidden glint in his eye came into light. Riku almost couldn't help the shudder that shot down his spine. That look, he swore, could be mistaken for true want.

Not just lust.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"_Sora, where's Riku?" Roxas asked, sitting next to the brunette in their economics class. _

"_I don't know. I saw him before third period, but then he just disappeared," was his reply as he scribbled down some notes that Professor Luxord had written on the board. _

_Roxas hummed, already starting on his homework for the day. "What are you doing this Friday?" He asked. _

_  
Sora shook his head. "Nothing…you?"_

_Roxas sighed. "Siefer asked me out." He said in a flat tone. " I thought it'd be fun to give it a go."_

_Sora giggled. "You hate Siefer." He blurted. _

_Roxas had to chuckle as well. "I know! Shows how bored I am." He whispered._

"_Why don't you find someone you're more interested in?" Sora asked, folding his paper over to start writing on the back. "I don't know…someone maybe you'd have fun with?"_

_Roxas watched him write down notes furiously, murmuring the words to himself so he wouldn't forget. Roxas smirked, smiling at his friend's quirks. "I'd have to find someone who would go with me." He said, still watching his friend._

_Sora's eyebrows creased together, and he put his pencil down. They looked at each other for a moment before Sora smiled and said, "That would be quite a bit of work, hmm, my dear?" _

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: Yeah! See? It was fucking UNBELIEVABLY LOOOOOOONG! **Pouts** I'll never get through this damned story…SO, ya'll better not plan on dying anytime relatively soon. **Nods**

Read and review. It's honestly my only reason to live since my best friend decided I was too much of a heathen to talk to. I'm not even joking. Come love on me!

_InnocentGuilt_


	14. Lacrymosa

A/N: So, I just got back from Prom and I'm sitting in my pretty, yellow dress, with black polka dots. I feel so pretty. I'm not even joking. I've taken like…THOUSANDS of pictures of myself (not that this is any different that normal, but whatever! It's the fact I feel like Belle!) And my hair is still beautiful like. Any Princes out there? I'm up for grabs! Only drawback…I seriously can't breathe. My dress is strapless so I have to be all like NO BREATHING, else it be around my ankles.

That has nothing to do with my story, but I thought you should know about my night. The actual Prom part wasn't that great. The best thing I can say about it is…I got a free martini glass. MMM…martini.

Okay, enough of my pointless ramble I'm sure you're bored with it.

Chapter 14. For your enjoyment alone.

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_You can blame it on me. Set your guilt free! - Lacrymosa by Evanescence _

Riku pulled his jeans on, Axel having seemed to finish with him minutes ago, now took delight in staring at the ceiling. Their 'session' had been quick. Axel setting a fast pace for the both of them, bringing Riku to orgasm faster than he had reached in a long time, and it was only a matter of seconds before the redhead had called out completion as well. After a shower in the locker rooms, where they had made the quick tryst, Axel lay down on a bench, and Riku was doing what he was doing now. Pulling on his clothes.

From behind him, he heard shuffling, and realized that the elder had probably managed to pull his own pants back on. As he turned around, he saw that Axel had pulled on most of his clothes, needing only to put on his t-shirt over his black wife beater, then his black jacket over that. But he returned to lying on the bench again, watching intently as Riku dressed.

"Where are you going now?"

Riku glared at him as he pulled on his yellow shirt. "Guess." He growled, shaking his head at the other's idiocy.

"Why?"

Riku snapped his gaze over to Axel, void of any anger, or annoyance. Out of all the thoughts that had crossed his mind concerning his 'job', out of all the months he had been doing this, out of all the retards he had crawled into bed with, it had never really crossed his mind to ask "Why?" He had thought of reasons to do it, sure. His brother, college, houses, cars, this, that, but never just, why.

Why did he really care about all of that?

Why did he repeatedly go out there?

Why did he keep going, he had enough money.

Why did he care?

He snapped himself out of his reverie, pulling on his shoes. Then without a word, he grabbed his bag and left the locker room.

He really did need to learn how to stop walking away from Axel.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Roxas waited patiently for the door in front of him to open, revealing his friend and an escape from loneliness. He had tried to enter on his own, but the door was locked, because Sora was a giant panic channel. He feared the butterflies were going to somehow gain strength enough to break down his door to eat his brains.

"Hey, babe." Sora greeted him as he threw the door open. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a date with Seifer?"

Roxas shrugged, pushing his way inside the house, setting his bags next to Sora's own messenger bag in the kitchen. "He had to go out of town. We're going next Saturday." He told the brunette, turning around to face his friend.

"Okay. You want to stay the night?" It was a bit silly to be asking the question. All of Roxas' usual 'hope you didn't have anything planned tonight' bags were over here, along with two of his schoolbooks.

"Yeah. Mom's out for the weekend." The younger indulged him, haven taken off his blue hat and thrown it on the little table by the door, now working on his gloves to shove them in his coat pocket.

"So you're staying the weekend?" Sora asked, helping Roxas, who had somehow become desperately stuck in his coat, unwind himself from the marshmallow-y confines of his coat.

The blonde nodded, picking up his bag and following Sora to his room.

"Okay. Well, it's you, me, and my decidedly out-dated father this weekend. Mom left on some sort of freak convention. So, I hope you're okay with Ramen noodles all weekend unless we order out."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Marly? Marly? Where are you?" Naminé called, pulling her key out of the lock on the door. She shut the door behind her, crawling further into the dark house belonging to her boyfriend. "Marly? Are you home?" She stepped outside, his four greenhouses coming into her view.

"I'm in the greenhouse!" She heard in the distance.

She sighed unhappily. "Which one?"

She heard shuffling, and then the door to the greenhouse closest to her opened. "Come on." He smiled to her.

She walked over to him, smiling, taking his hand as he led her into the closest greenhouse to the house he lived in. He started to pull her into the furthest corner, talking longwindedly about the newest plant he had managed to cultivate. She listened as best she could, but she didn't get half of the words he used and she needed to tell him something. Something that could make or break them.

"Hold on." She said, digging her heels into the soft soil beneath her shoes. "We need to talk about something."

Marluxia stopped instantaneously, turning around cautiously to face the blonde nearly as tall as he was. "What is it?" He asked nervously, his unearthly eyes settling on her.

She smiled reassuringly. "My parents want to meet you." She told him seriously, her smile fading, unsure of how he would react. She wrung her hands worriedly, her eyes settling on the dirt floor beneath her.

"I thought you said you didn't talk to anyone about me?"

"My mother can read me like a book. Really, I was defenseless against her gaze." She smiled, shrugging a little.

He sighed. "Does she know how old I am?"

"I think she has an inkling. She said it wouldn't matter. But she demands that she meet you so she can squeal over us…and she will. At great length, if I'm completely honest."

He looked to be tripping over his own words trying to find a way to answer her. Upsettingly, he could only ask, "When?"

She smiled, grabbing his hands in joy. "We have family dinner on Sundays. If you can get through that I'm sure you could take over the world single handedly."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

When Riku came back to Hollywood and 10th, he noticed a redhead talking off a few guys. Any other day he would get into the argument, telling the ghastly men that just because a few prostitutes roamed the streets didn't mean the should accuse everyone pretty thing on legs of sucking dick for money. But this pretty little thing that the men were trying to bully (And failing miserably at) was Axel Wise, Riku's own personal stalker.

Riku pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up before walking up to the group of men. "What are you boys doing?" he asked the group of four men.

"R.D.!" Two of the four yelled, leaving Axel in favor of him. "We were wondering where you were."

Riku raised an eyebrow. "So you decided to interrogate this poor thing?" He asked, jerking his head towards Axel who had just smacked away one of the men still touching him.

One of them leered. "We thought he was taking over for you. You can't blame us, can you? Your schedules been so odd these days we can barely keep up with you. We thought we'd give him a go."

Riku scoffed, pushing the speaker away from him. "He's obviously not interested." He told him, walking over and grabbing Axel before he could lay further damage on either of the men on the ground.

Axel struggled to go back after them, angry and probably feeling a little violated, but still as soon as he realized Riku had no intent of letting him go. They went past the bakery, so Riku could grab his backpack, shoving it into Axel's arms, after taking the sweater he wanted out. When he had snatched the bag from Axel, glaring at him as he slung it over his shoulder, he began to viciously attack the taller of the two.

"Want to tell me what you were doing back there?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanted to see what was so good about being a prostitute."

"What?"

"Okay. That was a lie." He admitted, with a treacherous smirk. "I was coming to get you."

Riku could only stare at him angrily. "Coming to get me?"

"Yes. I didn't think I stuttered, Hollywood."

Riku pulled on his hair. His cigarette forgotten and lost on the way to he didn't know where, he screamed in irritation. "Why?"

Axel shrugged. "I was bored. I wanted the deep and soulful conversations that only you can give me."

Riku scoffed, turning away to continue on his mission of getting lost. "Just because we're fucking doesn't mean I want to talk to you."

"What's R.D.?" He asked, as if ignoring what Riku had said completely.

"What part of I don't want to talk to you don't you understand?" Riku asked. "Here. Let me tell you again. I'm not going to talk to you. Buzz off!" He demanded.

"Not even if it's for Vexen's paper? You know it's due soon. We get out next Friday."

"I'm not doing that stupid paper. I told you that, dick-stick."

Axel sighed, grabbing the silver-haired boy's wrist. "Riku, if we don't do this we're going to fail. I'm not so good at bull shitting I can make up eight full pages worth. Can't you just sit for…twenty minutes a day?"

He jerked on his wrist, trying to get away from the redhead as he realized a hotel, that one of his earlier clients had rented for the night, was just around the corner. His client would probably be on his way to his wife, or searching for another whore, so the room was as good as his. If only he could get away from Axel! "No." He ground out, leaning as far away from Axel as he could without falling. "I don't want to talk to you and I don't care about some stupid grade."

"Why do you do this?" Axel said suddenly, pulling Riku upright and flush against his chest.

"I know it must be hard acting human when you're a Neanderthal, but could you clarify what 'this' is exactly?" The younger huffed in frustration, trying even harder to get away from his predator.

"Why do you whore yourself?" Axel asked, finally letting go of Riku enough to let him escape from his grasp. He set off as a fast pace but he obviously wasn't trying desperately to escape him, because he didn't take off running.

"It's none of your concern." He grumbled, scooting as far away from Axel as he could when he came up behind him. They were now safely in the hotel parking lot, just fifty yards from the room Riku still had the key to.

"I would guess it would be because you don't want to stay here." Axel spouted off, causing his enemy to slow. "You're trying to get away?" He asked. Riku didn't reply. He was too stunned to reply. How did Axel _know_ this? "You're uncle wouldn't let you out of his sight if you failed even one paper. How do presume you're going to escape him? He'll be on you like a hawk if you fail this paper!" They stopped as Riku reached the room door.

He pulled out his key, stuffing it in the lock, turning it this way and that. He was almost free into the confines where he had a choice if Axel entered, but Axel had made too good a point. His Uncle would let him out of his sight if he failed. So, he spun on his heal with a sigh. "Riku Dante. R.D. are my initials." Riku glared at him, hovering his hand above the door in uncertainty. But he pulled the door open, calling over his shoulder as he went inside, "Pick me up at two tomorrow. In front of the T-building, we're going to your place!" Then he slammed the door in Axel's face, not that he minded.

Axel smirked, loving the feeling he obtained when Riku gave into his will.

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Roxas sat in the kitchen, reading one of Acylone's magazines. Sora, along with his father, was in the living room, watching some basketball tournament that Roxas absolutely refused to watch. He liked sports as much as the next person, but, honestly, how could you watch _basketball_ on television. It wasn't even worth it. So he was in there, deeply interested in the report on one of his favorite actress' latest scandal.

As a result, when Sora came up from behind him, wrapping his arms around his slightly smaller shoulders, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Sora chuckled a little. "Hey, babe. I'm going to the store for dad. You want to come with me?"

"No. I've got a mythology report to finish…and it's freaking cold out there!"

Sora laughed. "A little mid-December air never hurt anybody." He said, cuddling his cheek to Roxas'.

"Not if you're a frost-giant." Roxas countered turning his head to look into Sora's eyes. "I'll stay here. Lord knows,_ someone_ has to keep an eye out for your father." Said as they both heard Cid roar something from the living room.

"Okay," Sora ceded. "You want something?"

"Powdered donuts." He told the brunette above him.

"Okay. Be back in a bit." He said, pressing a chaste kiss to the blonde's lips.

He stood up straight and left, seemingly, without a second thought, leaving Roxas in shock with his fingertips pressed against his lips.

Out in the hallway, Sora berated himself for his stupidity, grabbing his messenger bag, then pulling the door shut, trying with all his might not to slam it in his anger towards himself.

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A/N: Aren't you mad at me? I bet you are! After that last scene…yeah I was proud of myself. I almost gave in. I almost did…but I was like…NO! Make them suffer just a bit longer. Hahaha.

Review! It might get ya closer to some serious action going on.

_InnocentGuilt_


	15. Driven Under

A/N: Small warning…Naminé will seem a bit out of character in this chapter. It's just the way it's going to happen, because she'll be angry in this chapter, and it's not what we're used to seeing in the game. But I have a theory, if you don't get mad you're obviously an android.

Okay, some of you may be noticing I didn't send you a review reply saying that I love you and when this chapter would be out…in fact I'm pretty sure most of you might notice because I'm a freak and who doesn't notice ten minutes out of their lives totally wasted reading a ten page reply only to find out when the next update is…? Seriously? I didn't get any time to reply to all of my wonderful reviewers because I didn't honestly know I was going to post tonight. I just fixed up one of the scenes in here and posted. And it's 10:33 pm here and I have the dreaded school tomorrow, still, with homework to do. SOO! I posted now and decided not to reply. But I will next chapter, because I'll have more time. And I'm hoping to NOT feel so freaking stressed.

Okay much love.

Chapter 16

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_We have to succumb to the feelings we can never face. – Driven Under by Seether_

Naminé's dinner would have gone perfectly, on Sunday, if it weren't for her cousin.

Kairi, once Marluxia had let slip to her, not only knew how long they had been dating, but also how old he was, had been nothing but a pure outrageous bitch. She glared at the both of them; she sent scathing remarks at them; she even made a point to comment on his pink hair, the very thing that had attracted Naminé to him.

What was worse was that when she cornered Kairi on it, Kairi's mother, Rea, had come to her defence, berating Naminé for yelling 'so un-lady like'!

It was enough to make her want to rip her hair out!

Her parents had been cordial, of course, but they would do nothing to stop Kairi, as if they were proud of what she was saying! But she held her head high, and Marly came out as though this was an everyday occurrence. He was polite, spoke clearly and respectfully, he did nothing that could, in any way, anger her parents, or any of her family for that matter.

So, when he left that night, giving her a gentlemanly kiss on the cheek, she was infuriated to hear her entire family dogging on him. They put him, his work, his manners, their entire relationship down, talking to her, and lecturing her as if she were stupid and stupid for liking, let's leave the thought of loving, him. When she turned to her mother, the one who had demanded this meeting, the one she was sure would fall in love with Marluxia as soon as he opened his mouth, did nothing but look at her with this look of utter disbelief, as if it was impossible for Naminé to be so ridiculous and foolish over a man with_ pink_ hair!

The source of this…?

Well, Kairi. There was no possible way it could be anyone else. The others had seen her disdain for him, and had been spurred to follow her thought process.

Of course, they would follow Kairi! Perfect Kairi who could do no wrong. Why would she be wrong about anything in the entire world?

Naminé kicked her trashcan in frustration, having exited her house when the entire family had begun yelling at her. No one had followed her. 'No need to spur her hissy-fit,' Rea had snitted. No need to hear her disputes. No need for one-on-one where she could prove to them she wasn't stupid for wanting him and him alone.

Well…then there was no need to tell them she was engaged to him.

No need to tell them…

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Larxene didn't know why she had left her nightlife to care for Axel. There was nothing wrong with him. He acted like his normal, zealous, pyro-maniacal freak. His attitude hadn't varied at all since the last time she had been on a date, he was eating fine (Or so she thought), and though he hadn't lit anything ablaze since November, she hardly saw him without a lighter in hand (his zippo was still mysteriously missing).

She didn't remember why she had been so concerned over him. This was Axel. Axel was like a book. One could read the book over and over, but the ending never changed. It was the same for any human, even herself. Thus why she was slipping back into her old life routine, and she realized this as she applied the make-up that she hadn't worn in the better part of a month.

With each layer of eyeliner she felt a little bit as if she were taking a step backwards. She didn't know why, life hadn't been especially grand in the time she had stopped her 'dates.' Her parents still regarded her as a failure; she still did_ nothing_ around the house; Axel still clung to her side worse than a newborn to it mother. However, she did feel like she was taking a step in the wrong direction, as if the step she were taking was leading her to something bad, and unwanted.

When her lip glass was applied to her thin lips, she pulled her dress on, moving from the floor up so as not to disrupt her make-up. The slimming black dress was maybe a bit more conservative than what was normal but she blamed it on the winter weather going on outside. She wasn't like her brother. She couldn't go outside in thin layers of clothing and be warm all night.

She stepped into the hallway, her brother away on one of his missions from God, which would make her nearly unnoticeable as she slipped out of her house and walked to the end of the block for her 'date' to pick her up. Before she exited the door, she stopped to make a small note for Axel, telling him to remember his homework, and to not wait up like he normally did…

She would most likely be gone all night.

She slipped on her shoes…that Ruxy had vaguely noted looked a lot like her own pair of simple black pumps. She pulled on her on her coat, a stark difference from the black attire she wore, as it was shock pink, and left the house. Though it was not before noting that her parents were in the living room, and had not bothered to call out for her.

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Monday morning, before school started, Xemnas made a round trip around the school buildings for no apparent reason other than the fact that he was bored off his ass and had no students to punish as of yet. And because he was without prey, he turned his attention to his lesser cohorts. Like Vexen!

So he was found in the science building, letter…he didn't really know, stalking closer and closer to his nephew's least-favorite, favorite teacher's room, where interestingly enough he could hear conversation. With most of the other teachers, Xemnas would expect such behavior. But Vexen was one of those teachers who demanded solitude in the early morning hours (such is why most of his first hour students were failing).

Curiosity spiking, he entered the room without so much as a courteous knock on the frame. Vexen was in his normal spot behind his desk glaring irately at the papers he was grading. It was no surprise to find him tapping his pen angrily against the paper, the freshmen…they pissed him off so bad. However, the two students talking, dare he say it, _calmly_ at the table that he didn't remember ever being there is what caught his attention.

His nephew and Axel Wise, possibly the worst enemies in the entire school, sitting next to each other, placating like. Riku was working on his homework, while Axel spoke to him, writing randomly on a piece of paper. It wasn't as if they were talking like best friends. Riku had an obvious dislike for this smeared on his face, and Axel seemed to be doing his best not to strangle Riku, but it's the fact that they were, indeed, sitting next to one another. Above all, Riku's shoulders were relaxed, something Xemnas hadn't seen in his nephew in eons, and Axel seemed to lean into him, like he were talking to his nephew…intimately?

Xemnas' eye twitched. Something was amiss.

Vexen turned his attention to the principal slowly. "Yes, sir?"

Xemnas jumped, almost letting his students know he had been studying them like a hawk, but just avoiding it by snapping his attention to Vexen quickly. "Come see me!"

They exited the room together, which went completely unobserved by the students who seemed to be having a minor conflict and a heated debate. In the hallway, close to where they could stop anything if it were to get out of hand the turned to each other. Vexen smiled, politely asking. "You wanted to see me?"

"What is this about?" Xemnas demanded, his finger shooting up to point at the door.

Vexen turned to stare at the door, his face blank as if he had absolutely no idea what was going on, or what his boss was talking about. "What, Xemnas?" He asked, his cold sage colored eyes never leaving the door.

"What's going on with them?"

"They're doing their work." The science teacher shrugged.

"They're not fighting?"

Vexen raised an eyebrow at the incredulous man. "I would tell them to start a quick wrestling match for you, but that would counteract what I'm trying to achieve with them." Vexen said easily.

Xemnas stared at him for a moment, trying to uncover the mystery that was going on around him. "I…"

"Look," Vexen said, putting his hand up to stop the other. "The teachers and I are tired of their squabbling, so we've chosen to put them together in nearly every class together."

"Why didn't I know about this?"

"I don't see how you didn't know about it. You would've had to sign the papers."

Xemnas waved his hand, dismissing the idea completely. "Vexen, you know I have better things to do then read my papers. If it's on my desk and Ms. Fairbanks knows about it, it obviously needs signing."

"I just got a raise." Vexen said under his breath.

"I don't like this." Xemnas continued, oblivious to Vexen's previous statement. "I think this could be detrimental for both of the students."

Vexen took a quick glance in his room to see his two early morning students conversing quietly, and then he looked back to his boss taking a few steps away from the room. "I can see that you're worried for Riku, but I think this is actually working. Please, sir."

"Riku is having a hard enough time without forcing him to be around someone he obviously hates." Xemnas took a small step back to see the students again. They weren't in the same position as when they had stepped away from the door; Axel now had his elbow propped on the table tiredly, and Riku was fully facing him seeming to be telling a story with how Axel's face features seemed to change every so often. For a second, Xemnas only took back what he had said, but then Axel said something or other, causing Riku to sneer and turn away from the redhead angrily. "He's not one of the luckier boys I've met."

"Riku can handle this." Vexen said, assuredly. "If it becomes to much for him, we'll go back to previous tactics. We'll stop them from working together; I'll make Axel come and see me after school for his detentions; they'll be put on opposite ends of the room. But they have an assignment now that I have required they work on together for a grade in my class as well as in Xigbar's and it will be required before the end of the semester, at the latest, the Tuesday after winter break."

"I'll give it until the end of January." Xemnas said.

Vexen watched as Xemnas walked away, fretting, minutely, about the short amount of time that would give him and the rest of the teachers to work with. However, as he sat down, casting a weary glance at the two of them and coming within earshot of them:

"I'm sorry, okay? Jeez! I'll refrain from mentioning such a touchy subject again."

Riku huffed, obviously milking this a little.

"Who knew one man could be so touchy about pirates."

Vexen wrinkled his eyebrows a little, trying not to think about that particular conversation. More noting the fact that Axel seemed to be trying to appeal to the lunar-haired teen, and that, however much Riku wished to oppose the redhead, he was giving in.

_A month is more than enough._

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"Welcome to my wonderful abode!" Axel said luxuriously, waving his arms around as if the kitchen they had just entered into was a grand hall fit for a king and a ball.

Riku, who followed him silently, glared, having been here only yesterday and received the same presentation. He shook his head, moving his silver bangs out of his face, before running around Axel, who still stood with his hands outstretched in front of him. He threw his bag in one of the seats at the kitchen table, where they had sat yesterday at their gay little meeting, and then hurried to the fridge where he hoped there would be lemonade, as he had been reminded of his love for the liquid as soon as he saw it. He looked around for the cups (He swore yesterday Axel pulled them out of thin air yesterday).

Said redhead sat down in one of the other seats, leaving one right beside him for Riku as the fourth chair had been absconded with to suit the needs of the sewing machine (Seriously, why would Ruxy want to keep a table for the children? It was enough for her and Ansem.). He saw the lunar-haired man looking around for cups, or he hoped Riku was looking for cups because he carried the jug of lemonade around. "Above the stove, left side."

Riku followed the instructions and pulled a glass out of the cupboard, pouring himself the lemonade. "Thanks." He said, taking a seat after he had put the jug away.

Axel nodded his welcome, before, unfortunately for Riku, beginning to speak. "Now, where did we leave off?" Axel asked going over the 'notes' he had taken over Riku's scant telling of his life.

"I don't think we had a set questionnaire form. You're just randomly interrogating me." Riku sneered, taking a gulp of his lemonade.

Axel seemed to look through the papers, interestedly. "Oh yes. We did kind of hop around a little didn't we?" He said as if he were a psychiatrist with a patient.

Putting his head down on the table, ear pressing against the wood and facing Axel, Riku sighed. "Not my fault you have a flea size brain."

Indignant, "You know, I recall you yelling at me yesterday for superfluous comments like that."

"Because your superfluous comments were rude. Mine are truthful." Riku smiled menacingly. "How do you know the meaning of superfluous anyway?" Riku asked, doodling over the redhead's paper sulkily. All of the designs were ugly; he couldn't see properly what he was doing with the pen that the other had set down, but it was the fact that he was fucking up Axel's 'notes'.

Axel shrugged, snatching the pen from the younger one's grasp before he couldn't read what he had written anymore. "Read the entire dictionary the summer after I turned sixteen."

Riku's gaze snapped to Axel. "You did? Why the fuck would anyone do that?"

"Got in trouble for playing a small prank on the baseball players the month before summer break started, and was grounded all through summer break."

He looked up at the older with curious aquatic eyes. "Is that when all of their clothing went missing while they were showering?" He smirked.

"Yeah. What's it to ya?" Axel intoned loudly causing Riku rolled his eyes. "What? You've never done something stupid?" Axel raised his eyebrow challengingly.

"I've yet to be caught, huh?"

Axel leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms resolutely. "Give it time. All good things must end."

Riku sat up and turned to fully face his elder, staring at him, maybe with a little too much of a betrayed look on his face. "Gonna tell someone about me?"

Axel cracked a weak smile. "Did I say I was? I've got a great deal out of this. You have to talk to me on a daily basis, and I get a good fuck out of it when you feel threatened." Axel mentally kicked himself for being so crude, but knew Riku would never understand if he tried to explain it as anything else. It was an understanding between them. Riku did this to keep Axel quiet. "It's like, the best deal ever." He finished, ruefully

"Don't tell me you actually want to be my company." Riku grimaced at the thought of Axel enjoying what he did to him.

Axel perked at the look that crossed the other's face, and the small, almost unnoticeable tone of hope in his voice. What if Riku did want to be wanted? He thought for a moment, deciding whether he did or not, the idea was too much to pass the opening up. "What if I did?" He asked.

He scoffed. "You'd be an idiot." He said as if to say 'Duh!'

"Just because you don't think anything's there…"

He met Axel's gaze unsteadily, not really having expected those words to tumble form his mouth. "You're not serious…?"

Axel didn't say anything; instead they stared at each other. The nicotine addict of the two was once again on the verge of running again, struggling with the fact that he always ran from Axel, yet feeling that this would be the appropriate time to do so. Really…what was Axel getting at? His adversary, however, seemed to be struggling with where to go with this. Not that he really wanted to think about his feelings towards the other, but he definitely couldn't deny there was something there, something other than his grade.

They both jumped when they heard a startled screech behind them.

Behind them, Axel's sister, Larxene, stood, with a handful of bags, and a shocked expression radiating directly towards Riku, who looked so much… "How the hell did you get here?" She shrieked, too shocked to properly close her mouth

Axel looked confused, completely missing the look of hatred that had smeared itself across Riku's face. "I picked him up. Larxene this is Riku. Riku this…"

"I know who she is." Riku bit at him. He grabbed his bag from the chair beside him. "I'm out. See ya later." He said angrily, before pushing passed Larxene and leaving the house.

Larxene's eyes followed Riku out of the house before snapping her attention back at Axel. "Riku?" She asked, the name sparking as being one in recent conversation. "Riku Melosine?"

"Yeah." Her brother shrugged. "Why?"

_Melosine…oh, god. Sephiroth._

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The entire week after Sora had pressed that kiss against Roxas' lips on Saturday the two had been nothing but completely awkward with each other. They couldn't discuss it. That would lead to one of two things. One: Sora would have to break down and tell Roxas that there was a very strong possibility that he had been in love with the blonde for the better part of a year, or Two: He would have to take the kiss back. Both of which were out of mind's reach to the brunette at the moment.

He knew now wasn't a good time to publicly come out of the closet, even though most the school knew, they just didn't say. Roxas was allowed to be all homosexual in school, if the news got back to his mom, she knew. It was as simple as that. Sora didn't have that privilege. If his mom found out, his life was ruined. He'd be out of the house in two seconds flat, because although his father was bigger and stronger, his mom was meaner and devilish when it came to controlling what his father thought. If Acylone thought Sora shouldn't live with them, dammit! Sora shouldn't live with them.

But even knowing that he had to keep a low profile, that he couldn't just go up to the other and ask him out, or even that he had to watch the other go out with other people, all of whom the brunette knew didn't make Roxas happy, it still hurt to see him go up to Seifer. It hurt to see him talk to the other animatedly, pretending to be excited about the date though he really could have napped for the exact same time period on that Friday night and still been just as happy.

He was so absorbed in his own self-misery, he completely missed the quick glances Roxas kept sending him, a sure signal for 'get me the hell out of this.'

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On Friday, after a particularly interesting episode with Axel, who had only just that morning recognized the fact that Riku wasn't exactly in love with his sister ("Yeah, I kind of hate her guts, if I'm completely honest."), said smoker threw all of his books into his locker angrily. He didn't know what he was mad about. Axel had said nothing about Monday's conversation, nor the project that was due at the end of next week (He wondered how much Vexen loved him this year…). But he was just pissed off.

Normally, when he was angry though, he could tune out his surroundings. He went deaf, blind, and stupid, and just let his internal map take him to his classes. Today, he heard everything. Every fucking snippet of conversation! It was humming in his ears like a fucking terrible opera. And he couldn't help but eavesdrop on all of them.

"Did you hear about Florence?"

"I know he's such a…"

He pulled out his Spanish book.

"I watched the most incredible movie last night! I don't know if you've heard of it. It called…"

He pulled his paper out.

"Hey! Guess what! A killer whale can squeeze a penguin suit out of its skin, and leave a perfect penguin suit. Isn't that…"

He closed his locker.

"Hey, Seifer. Don't you have a date with Roxas tonight?"

"Yeah."

"What are you two gonna do?"

"Go to dinner. Woo him with my charm. Get him in the back of my car. You know they can't resist me."

Riku rolled his eyes. Fucking prick. He really hoped he tried something just so Riku had a reason to beat the shit out of him. Don't ask him why, they had never been friends or anything, but Riku had a feeling he would probably commit murder for the blonde haired boy whom Sora had taken a liking to.

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A/N: I want you all to know I hated this chapter with a fiery passion. Like…woah buddy, hate. It kicked my ass from here to Vancouver.

I love you all again. I'm sorry I didn't find time to reply to your reviews. But I was so behind and this was so late, it was either post today, and beg for forgiveness, or post later and beg for forgiveness.

I chose the lesser of two evils. Because had I not done so there would have been a mob…headed by ChibiFrubaFirl (Who ended any review for every update on any different story that I posted with "Update Listless, kay?") would beat me into a bloody pulp, drag my orange like remains back to the computer and told me to "type dammit. Or no Lemonade." Let me tell you. My love for Lemonade is unparalleled.

InnocentGuilt.


	16. All Around Me

A/N: So I told most of you that I would get this up by at least Tuesday…but SOMEONE (aka: Ichi-desu) loved me and got this beta-ed super quick. So…You're getting it today! Isn't that wonderful?

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_I can feel you all around me, thickening the air I'm breathing- All around me by Flyleaf_

Riku had once again been, maybe a little too, willingly dragged to Axel's house, where he sat in his seat, bored, and tired. The day had been long and ongoing and he had been yelled at so many fucking times he thought his ears might be bleeding. He had failed a test in Spanish. He broke two beakers in Chemistry, though Axel valiantly tried to catch them both. Xigbar had practically ripped him a new hole when he had screwed up one element of poetry. ONE out of fifty-five, and it made him seem like the new antichrist. He was so ready to just empty himself to the mindless void that Hollywood and 10th seemed to bring.

Being as that was the case, he was on his way passed the T-building when, of course, Axel stopped him, grabbing him by the back of the neck and immobilizing him for a moment before the redhead had let go.

"_Hey…where ya going?"_ he had asked.

"_I'm going home today."_

"_Nah,"_ Axel had smiled._ "Come on. A little birdie told me you like Japanese food."_

"_Who told you that?"_ Riku asked calculatingly.

Axel had smiled, winningly, at him, his hand ruffling his nice, silver, windblown hair._ "You did."_

Thus he had been conned into going to Axel's house. They had stopped by a Japanese restaurant, ordered food, and then walked the other mile to Axel's house. They hadn't spoken much in between the places they had stopped. Riku was almost too tired to walk, and had considered lying down on the sidewalk several times, but had pushed himself to keep going. They had only really spoken when Axel was ordering food, and Riku had told him what to order for him. Other than that, Riku was sitting at the table, tiredly, waiting for Axel, or they were walking, quietly, eating their food.

That is until they got to Axel's house and then he had turned damn near militant, hammering Riku with question after question. Such as:

"Where were you born?"

Riku sighed, his arms on the table and his face buried in his arms. "You've already asked me that." He moaned, followed directly by a yawn.

Axel flipped through the notes (they were actually notes; Riku had looked at them.), finding nothing of the sort. "I don't see it."

Riku sighed, lifting his head up to reposition his arms with elbow on the table and his head in his hand. "It's because I scribbled it out." He said, nonchalantly.

The other put his paper down stiffly, whipping his head around and sending wild red locks (_Why did his hair look exceptionally nice today?_) flying around his face. "Why the hell would you do that? I have memory problems enough without your help!" He seethed, though he kept his face completely lax.

Riku rolled his eyes expressively. "You don't have memory problems." He sneered. "Stop whining. See?" He put his finger on some extraordinarily dark scribbles, where he remembered his birthplace had been. "Look. It's right there."

Axel turned the paper to the side a little tilting his head in the opposite direction of his paper. "…Oh! I see it now. You were born in Hell, right? That would make sense as you're the spawn of Satan."

Riku whined. Not the most dignified thing he had done in the presence of Axel, but he was tired and couldn't control it. "Fuck you." He breathed, putting his head into his folded arms, again.

Axel got the hint and backed off, not really caring to piss off the person who was slowly warming to him (made it easier to walk down the halls fearlessly). So, settling to maybe be a little serious today (though it would probably cause him to burst into flames spontaneously), he shook Riku's arm, a little sign that he was ready to be serious. "Okay. So you were born in Highwind Hospital. What were your parents names?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "How is that important in this little biography?"

"Uh, they kind of gave birth to you."

Riku harrumphed. "Fine." He gave in, trying to pull up the courage to talk about a matter he hadn't talked to anyone about in over a year. "I don't remember my father." He sighed. "My brother would have, he was five when my father left. I don't really even know his name. I…I_ think_ mom once said something about it being Auron, but I'm not for sure." Axel scribbled the name down on his paper, quickly. Riku watched, not for the first time, intrigued with the thin arm muscles that moved underneath a pale layer of skin.

"My mom's name was Priti." Riku closed the eyes when he heard the name, even if it was from his own mouth. No one ever talked about his mother, except his brother and him, though lately it was getting hard for Sephiroth to do anything except yell and drool, and when they did talk about her they referred to her as 'mom.' "I used to call her Pretty. She used to call me Rikki. I hated that name, but she told me if I didn't want to be called Rikki that I should stop calling her Pretty. I never did though; I called her Pretty until the day she died."

"When did you mother die?" Axel asked softly, and Riku noted he had stopped taking notes; his attention was fully on him, the other's poisonous green eyes never leaving his face.

Riku took a deep breath, scooting the chair around where he was sitting on it sideways, but still facing the redhead, inadvertently scooting closer to him. He rubbed his eyes, and he noted a faint residue of the eyeliner he had been wearing the night before. "About three years ago, just before my sophomore year and your junior year."

The way he said it, perked something in Axel's memory. "I vaguely remember that. Naminé went to the small communion at the school after she found out about her death...I never really linked that to you."

"I don't think many people did. She went back to her maiden name after my father left. I think she was buried as Priti Ann Darkson." Riku shrugged.

"How do you not know?"

"I never went to her grave." He said, morosefully, his eyes pricking at the thought of not saying good bye to his mom. His Pretty. He never told her he loved her before she died. He blinked, furiously, refusing to cry in front of Axel. "I didn't even go to her funeral."

"Why?"

"It's a very scary line to cross from knowing she's dead to_ knowing_ she's dead." He emphasized the second 'knowing', as for him it was a completely different thing. "I haven't even touched her room."

"How did she die?"

"She had a rapidly evolving third state of Angel's disease. It was eating away her mind so quickly, that she had to shoot herself up every two hours. She died of an overdose."

"And that's what your brother has?"

Riku narrowed his eyes at the older. "How do you know about my brother?"

"He wasn't exactly a loser when he attended high school."

"How did you know about his disease, though?"

"I listen." Axel said, standing, flipping his chair around to sit in it backwards, moving a little closer to the silver haired man in the process. "I overheard your uncle talking to the Counselor about it about a year ago."

Riku tossed himself back, "He doesn't have that stage of Angel's disease. He has stage two. It's not quite as severe, but he refuses to get help; so he pretty much just fucking withers away in his own prison bound mind. He can't be alone for too long, because he doesn't take his medication without being forced to, and if he goes to long without it he begins seeing things and then not only is he beyond sick, he turns fucking suicidal." He laughed to burn off a little of his outrage, rubbing his eyes again to cover up the tears that were forcing their way forward. He wouldn't have had this trouble had he the backbone to say 'no' to the bastard.

Axel's brows shot to his hairline. "Suicidal?"

"I've come home to see his nurse and him wrestling over a screwdriver." Riku breathed into his hands. "Knives, screwdrivers, scissors,_ paperclips_ of all things...We tried to keep them all in a locked drawer, but when he's desperate for something Sephiroth can break anything."

Axel rubbed his hands together, a little helplessly. "Are your mom and brother the only one's who've had Angel's disease?"

He shook his head, silver hair swinging limply around his arms. "No. It skips and leaps through the family lines."

Axel stared at Riku. "Do you have it?"

"I have a derivative of it." Riku licked his lips nervously, staring at the table under his eyes. He hadn't even told his uncle this. He only found out when he went to a doctor about an ear infection five months ago. "You mentioned my friendships falling apart under my feet...it's true and false. It crumples as I hack at it. The harder my life becomes, the more I push away, the more he backs off, the more I believe he's been trying to get rid of me for a while. It's nothing really more than paranoia, but my doctor says that if I'm not careful, something could trigger Angel's disease and I could end up no better than Sephiroth."

There was a deep rooted silence in them after that. Axel could only stare at his hands, wondering, angrily, why that news upset him so much. He kept glancing at the younger, whose head was still in his hands. Asking himself when Riku had become so damn special, he reached that foot across the table (when did they get so close?), and took one of the pale hands away from the other's face, holding it in his for moments after he had latched on.

After nearly two minutes of silence, two minutes of being able to hold the silver-haired man's hand, Riku cleared his throat, pulling both of his hands into lap, though when he hesitated when pulling out of Axel's grasp. "Well, I said more than I meant to. I probably should have told you to eat it."

Axel cracked a weak smile at the use of language. "I kind of liked it." He admitted.

"You're kind of creeping me out with all this_ wanting_ to get to know me stuff."

"I'll pretend to be disinterested."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Later in the afternoon, probably somewhere around five, Riku went out to Hollywood and 10th street. He was looking for a quick way to clear his mind from his decaying life, and apart from really beating the life force out of someone, the only way he really knew how was on that corner, wearing eyeliner and tight shirts. He didn't have to wait long; he never really did. About ten minutes later some loser, with no life and too much money, came rolling up to him in his expensive car that he couldn't drive properly to save his life.

Forty-five minutes later, Riku was sitting on the bed, jeans slung on his hips in a hap hazardous way.

"Two-fifty, three, three-twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, four-hundred."

The man had left already, only minutes after he had finished with him, leaving four hundred on the table carelessly. Riku had already showered, and redone his hair deciding to leave the eyeliner off for now, lounge around a bit until he went onto the street.

His cell-phone went off on the side table, his tune jingling throughout the silent room, while his phone nearly vibrated off the table. Visibly starting, he ran to get it, flipping open the top and pressing it to his ear. "Yeah?" He asked shortly, stuffing the money into his back pocket.

"Hey Riku!"

Riku flinched at his best friends cheerful words, feeling his cheeks flame up in embarrassment, even though his friend had no clue what was he had just been doing, was doing, or would be doing in the future. He smiled a little, "Hey Sora. What's up?"

Sora sighed. "Roxas went on a date with Seifer."

"Oh. So you're scheming buddy is gone?" Riku asked indulgently.

"Yeah. Anyway, I was sitting here…wallowing in my self-pity," He said dramatically, "And I realized you and I hadn't gone to eat in a while. And I was wondering where you were so I could pick you up and we could to Lou's?"

"You just want something to take your mind off of your hip?"

"What's wrong with my hip?"

Riku snorted, without humor. "Your other half was just ripped from it."

"That's not funny."

"True though."

"Whatever. Do you wanna come?"

Riku bit his lip, feeling guilty that once again he would turn Sora down to his midnight (or seven o'clock) gallivants. "I would love to, Sora. You know I would…but….not tonight." Riku sighed, "Maybe later this weekend. I'm just too busy."

"Okay? Can you just talk to me?"

Riku breathed a laugh. "You are talking to me."

There was a pause on the other line was Sora considered this, cursed Riku smart-alikeness, and moved on. "Okay. Has everything been okay with you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I just feel like you're shutting out the world." Sora said meekly.

"No, Sora. I've just been busy, trying to keep my grades up, my brother, getting into the Academy. It's a lot of work." Riku tried, lying to his best friend as well as he could. It wasn't that he didn't trust Sora with this, but it was just that Sora would freak out if he ever knew what Riku had been doing for the last year and a half.

Sora was a panic channel after all.

Riku lit up a cigarette, inhaling, then continuing on with their conversation. "What triggered this?" He flicked some ashes onto the floor, not really caring that this was a non smoking room.

"Oh nothing really. Just me being paranoid I guess."

Riku sighed at his friend's lie, remembering when they weren't afraid to tell the other what was on their mind. He was beginning to think that they were just getting jumbles out of their conversation and not really getting anywhere with one another. Maybe if he finally began telling the truth then Sora would follow his example, but where do you start with secrets imbedded into your mind. It just wouldn't be worth it, and he had to go back out soon.

"I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later, Sora." Riku said, pulling the phone away from his ear, dismally.

"Wait, Riku!" Could be heard from the other end of the phone, before Riku flipped his phone shut. He walked to the mirror pulling his eyeliner out of his pocket and applying a heavy line to his lower lashes. He stashed the money he's been given in a drawer, knowing he would be coming back here within the hour.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Roxas tapped his feet impatiently, waiting for Sora to call him and save him from this hell. Seifer was an absolute bust and he couldn't believe he was soft enough to go out with the loser. He was self-centred, and nearly refused to talk about anything other than himself. He was a pig. And he didn't actually want to get to know Roxas; he only wanted someone to gloat to and about.

He didn't know what he had been thinking, but he swore to God he had learned his lesson, and would talk to his dates more before agreeing to go out. He sighed. Swearing that he wouldn't go out with anyone unless he was actually interested, he picked at his food. Nodding randomly at the drone that was Seifer, his fingers itched at his phone, hoping that Sora would call him like he had done every other time.

"And that's when I really let him have it…" Roxas' head dropped from his hand, and he made fake sobbing motions, not that Seifer noticed. He nearly yelled with relief when his phone started ringing.

"Yes?" He said excitedly into the speaker.

"Roxy?" Axel asked from the other line.

"Oh hi!" He said, and then schooled his features to a look of abhorrence.

Axel, who didn't know what he was going to do, carried on with their conversation as if it were normal. "Hey what's up, Roxy?"

"What do you mean my father's dead?" He whimpered, still staring at his plate, though he knew Seifer's head had shot up.

"What?" Confused, now, Axel asked.

He shook his head, trying his best to look shocked and unbelieving. "I'll be right there don't worry." Roxas said, closing his phone and apologizing to Seifer before running out, while pulling his coat on. Once outside he called Sora, leaning against the cold brick of the restaurant. He listened to the phone ring with shaking hands, still unsure of how to react to Sora's small kiss last weekend.

"Hello, darling." Sora answered as always, still seeming unfazed by the kiss, despite Roxas had made it obvious he had no clue how to react.

Roxas breathed as sigh of relief at the small bit of normalcy it offered on this horrible ride of a night. "Be there soon." He told the other before hanging up.

He set off into the cold parking lot, where he had parked his mother's car. He had pulled his gloves on along with his hat and he could see the ugly goldish-colored land-yacht that his mother called a car. His hand was closing in on the handle when he heard Seifer calling after him.

"Hey what's the big deal?" He asked outraged, stomping up to Roxas like an owner would a renegade dog.

Roxas shrank a little, never once having had to deal with someone who followed him after he ran off. "My father died." He answered as tearfully as he could.

"So, fathers die everyday." Seifer said arrogantly, shrugging. "How many times to you get a date with me?" He smiled, rubbing the smaller boy's shoulder coercively.

Roxas gaped at him, his mouth falling open, eyes glazed over with incredulity that this person could love himself so much as to say such a thing. "I can't believe how cruel you are." He screeched, indignantly.

"Your father isn't dead!" Seifer scoffed. "You suck at lying."

"Yes, he is! How can you be so heartless to me at a time like this? I don't want to even be in the same lawn with you." Roxas turned back around to unlock the car door.

Seifer's face contorted angrily, and he grabbed Roxas, turning him around forcefully. "You don't know what you're saying!" He yelled, slamming Roxas against his car.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Naminé reached beside her pillow to grab her 'ringing' phone without taking her eyes off of her book. "Hello?" She answered her phone in her pristine voice.

"Namie?"

She smiled. "Hi, Axel. Why are you calling so late?" She asked glancing over to her alarm clock that read ten 'til eleven.

"Has Roxas talked to you?" He asked frantically.

"Roxas and I don't talk. He only texts me." Naminé answered, turning the page to the book she was reading over Da Vinci.

"Well!" Axel yelled irately. "Has he texted you?"

Her brows furrowed at the frantic tone that poured from the redhead's mouth. "Not tonight, why?" She asked worriedly.

"He weirded out on the phone and then hung up and I haven't heard from him since. Usually he calls me after he weirds out!" He practically yelled.

"I haven't heard from him tonight." She said remorsefully. "I'll call Kairi." She said, before Axel could go off on a tangent.

He said his goodbye and she hung up and dialed Kairi's number. Pressing the phone to her ear. She listened to the song that played instead of the ringing tone that she would have listened to when calling others, before:

"What?"

Naminé rolled her eyes angrily, pushing back the thoughts still running in her mind. "Hello Kairi." She said as politely as she could. "Have you heard from Roxas?"

"I don't talk to him. He is outside my immediate group." Her immediate group was Sora and Riku, no one else.

She took a deep breath. "Well, can you call Sora and see if he's heard from Roxas?"

Kairi giggled. "Sorry. Yeah. Sure."

Kairi hung up with Naminé, only to have to answer the phone immediately. (**switch person**)

"What?" Kairi asked solemnly, imagining Naminé's face at having to talk to her.

"Kairi! Roxas isn't here!" Sora yelled at her.

"Oh." She said passively. "When was he supposed to be there?"

"Like…an hour ago!" The other boy freaked out.

"He hasn't contacted anyone else either." Kairi said, assuming that was why her cousin had called her. "Call Riku. He'll know what to do." With that she hung up and went back to her nails, fighting the need to call someone and complain about the blame that Naminé had unfairly heaped on her.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

His back pocket began vibrating, and he pulled his phone out and flipped the top open.

** Sora **

"Yeah?" He answered, diving into a nearby alleyway, so he wouldn't be seen by any 'customers.'

"Riku!" Sora yelled on the other end. "Riku, I can't find Roxas!"

Slender brows rose. "What happened?"

On the other line he heard, "He went on a date with Seifer, and then left. I thought he was coming home; that's what he told me, but he's not here!" The other practically hyperventilated.

Riku sighed. Of course, Seifer would try something; why didn't someone think to stop Roxas from going on the date? Riku leaned his head back, against the cold wall behind him. "Sora, breathe." He demanded. "Where did they go?"

"I don't know. Roxas mention something about…"

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Roxas!" Riku yelled, finally having arrived at the nearly empty parking lot. He heard no response, which made him further into the parking lot, looking around frantically for the blonde. He sighed, throwing the cigarette that had been in his hand onto the ground and stomping it out. "Roxas, where are you?" He yelled again, searching behind every car left in the parking lot.

He heard something run into a car in front of him, followed by a loud curse. The silver-haired man almost couldn't resist grinning when he looked around to find the arrogant little snot his charge had been out with. Seifer's face was black and blue, and he was clutching his side. He walked up to the other slowly, taking pleasure in watching him stumble around drunkenly.

Obviously, Roxas didn't need him to come rescue him as the others apparently thought.

"I sure hope Roxas didn't hurt you too bad." He said, pushing Seifer to the ground easily. "Because I'm going to rip your face off."

Seifer glanced up slowly, before Riku kicked him in the ribs.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"_Roxas isn't here. I found Seifer, but the car you told me Roxas drove here is gone. You might want to call his house and see if he went home."_

Sora had barely had his wits about him long enough to say by before jet rocketing out of his house, his mother be damned.

Into Roxas' house he ran full speed, barely stopping to shut the door. He found Roxas' marshmallow coat on the living room floor, a sure sign he was home. Knowing that, he ran into Roxas' room, the one close to the living room. He didn't knock, or yell for his name; he burst through the door finding Roxas on the other side of the door, his shirt half pulled over his head.

Sora ran up behind the blonde, spinning him around and pulling him tightly against his chest. Roxas' shirt was still half over his head and he probably couldn't breathe. Sora blinked back tears as he help the other out of his 'dress shirt,' though Roxas instantly wrapped his arms around himself in a furious effort to hide his scar from Sora.

"What are you doing here!" he demanded of the brunette who wormed his arms around him. Roxas tried to push the other off, or to reach for a shirt, anything. He nearly cried out of frustration when he felt Sora's hands brush against the scar curling around his left side. "Sora!"

Whatever Roxas was going to say Sora swallowed it when he pressed his lips to the others.

"I was so scared." He breathed pulling away from Roxas. "You're not allowed to go out with anyone else. No dates. No 'for the heck' of it's. You're stuck with me." He said resolutely, stroking Roxas' hair away from his face.

Roxas nodded, shocked, a little disoriented, and unsure of how to react to Sora, and that little kiss. He still tried to wiggle out of Sora's grasp, if only to return with a shirt, but Sora wouldn't let him go. He wouldn't let Roxas go long enough to hide his scar, which at the moment Roxas was so scared would repulse the other enough to leave, or take back his proclamation. But as if to prove that he didn't care about the scar, Sora ran his hand up and down along the raised skin, feeling the marks that the fire had left.

"Resistance is futile, Roxas."

Roxas looked at Sora's clear blue eyes. "That doesn't sound too bad." He shrugged, still in a daze, which only increased when Sora tilted his head back and kissed him again.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Who's this?" Axel yawned when he answered his squealing phone.

"It's Riku Wise. Sora told me to call you for Roxas. He says he's fine. He made it home." Riku said, opening the door to his bother and his house. He closed the door quietly, knowing that the tiniest noises started Sephiroth from his sleep. Listening for any sign of his brother, he silently crept upstairs, his bag over his should and his phone against his ear.

Axel breathed a sigh of relief, rolling over onto his back from his position on the couch. "Where was he?" He asked.

"You don't know where your friend was?" Riku teased, feeling good now having beat the ever living crap out of Seifer.

Axel smiled at the tone in the other's voice. "Do you know where yours is?"

"Yeah, actually." Riku said, feeling a little proud at that, since he hadn't properly known where Sora was, unless he was at school, for the last eight months. "He's at Roxas' house. Roxas was at a restaurant. He was apparently on a date with Seifer."

"Seifer?"

"Yeah. Seifer." Riku said, pulling all of his things out of his bag.

"Damn! He didn't tell me he was going on a date with Seifer." Axel said, amazed that his friend could keep anything from him for any amount of time. He sat up on his couch and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Anyway, apparently when you called it gave him the perfect excuse to stage his father's death and he high-tailed it out of there." Riku said, having gotten the fact from Sora when he called him earlier that night. "Seifer didn't buy it, followed him, and Roxas beat the shit out of him for unknown reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if the prick tried to a move on him or something. Whatever it was, Roxas wasn't having it." Riku shrugged, stepping out of his jeans, and looking around his room for his pajama bottoms.

"Well, go Roxas." Axel said, impressed his friend had actually hit someone.

"Yeah. Anyway, my fucking night is ruined, so I'm going to sleep." He said, hopping into his bottoms, nearly falling over in the mean time.

Axel breathed a small laugh when he heard a thud, and a curse. Feeling unready to let go of the other he asked. "Are you coming over tomorrow?"

"Why would I come over tomorrow?" Riku asked defiantly, though he only teased.

"Because we kind of aren't done with either paper."

"I don't feel like walking." Riku said, feigning a tired voice.

"I'll come pick you up." Axel shrugged.

"You don't know where I live."

"It can't be impossible to find. Meet me at the end of your god damn street."

"Fine." Riku gave in, not wanting to argue himself out of a car ride. "But I get to interrogate you tomorrow."

"Oh, but you're such a good story teller, Hollywood."

Riku tensed from his sitting position on the bed. "Don't call me that."

"You told me to act disinterested."

"You can call me by my name though. It's why I have one."

"Fine. Riku."

Riku's heart picked up a little when he heard his name from the other's mouth. "Was that hard to do?" He asked, berating himself for feeling like a little schoolgirl.

"Not completely. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I can't wait for you to bear your soul to me."

"Kay. Good night, Sleeping Beauty."

Riku snorted. "Good night, Prince Charming."

"Prince Charming was Snow White's man." Axel corrected.

Riku shrugged. "Then maybe you're barking up the wrong tree."

"Maybe you just glanced at me too quickly. Maybe I'm actually Prince Philip in disguise."

Riku laid down on his bed, turning out his lamplight, the only light in the room as he had turned off his room light earlier in the conversation. He sighed contentedly, and told Axel. "I promise to look harder next time."

Axel nodded. "Good. Sleep well."

"I'll do my damnedest." Riku said, finally pulling the phone away from his ear.

Axel stared at the number on his screen, feeling something well in his chest. He saved the number quickly, closing his phone happily. For a moment, his mind had been taken off the fact that Larxene, once again, was not home.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: I know…You must love me! I finally gave some of you what you wanted…and definitely moved forward what all of you wanted. **Smiling like a mad woman**

I super hope you love this, because for once…I DOOOO!

I love you all whole bunches, so show me you still love me by…You guest it…Reviewing meee!

InnocentGuilt


	17. Nothing Else to Do

A/N: So…I could tell you that I've been plagued with torado warnings and fear of lightening strikes…which would be partially true, it's been stormin' round here like crazy…but I don't fear the storm and am actually hoping that I die in a freak tornado. I could tell you that I've been severely depressed, which would be mostly true. My friend and I pretty much just told each other to eat dirt and die, but I write best when depressed… I could tell you that I've suddenly gotten a life, which I have. My other friends so took my side (I didn't know I had a side, but when writing this I do.) and have been taking me out to movies, plus your usual dosing of work, but I like to stay up way late.

So…I'm gonna tell you the truth. This chapter was so boring to start with, and I just couldn't get into it. I wanted next chapter to be here. But after I sat down and told myself, "Iggy, you'll be hung if you don't write this chapter", I really began liking it more. And I hope you do too.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

_I'll give you coats and cheap shampoo. I'll give you nothing else to do. –Follow the cops back home by Placebo_

Riku wandered away from his house, and sleeping brother, into the cold and down his street to the end of his block where he could see a car idling. Through the lightly tinted driver's side window he could see messy, messier than usual, red hair. 'Oh, good.' He thought, 'Axel's a good boy when it comes to punctuality. He ran up to the dark blue car, shivering in the cold winter weather, because he wasn't going to be outside long enough to need a coat. He opened the door on the other side and crawled in, throwing his yellow backpack in the backseat.

"Morning sunshine." Axel greeted, rubbing his green eyes that still looked a little hazy with sleep.

Riku looked at the car clock, which flashed two thirty in the afternoon at him. "It's after noon, Axel." He grumbled.

The redhead gave him an annoyed look. "Well, hell, I just got up. It's morning for me."

Riku repositioned himself in the passenger seat, strapping himself in securely with the seat belt. "What a lazy bum." He said in astonishment.

"When did you get up?" Axel challenged, pushing the car into first gear and starting down the road.

Riku shrugged, leaning forward to open the glove compartment. "At six." He shrugged pulling out papers, napkins, pens, and…deoderant? His brows crinkled in confusion.

"God damn. Why?"

"My brother got up and began banging around the house." Riku replied, pulling the cap off of the deoderant to smell it. Rain fresh, he decided, while putting the cap back on. He shoved everything into the glove box carelessly.

Axel pushed into fourth gear, watching the spedometer for a second before glancing over at Riku. "Was he having an attack?"

"No. He was just hungry." Riku said, reaching into the backseat for his backpack. "Do you mind if I have a cigarette?" He asked, pulling out his pack and lighter.

"Sure. Just don't get any ash in here and throw the butt out when your done. It'll be my luck I get blamed if you don't." Axel said. He watched to road carefully while the other lit his cigarette. "So, he's not always having an attack?"

"No. Just most of the time." He blew the smoke out the cracked window, rubbing his nose that had nearly frozen in that second it was close to the window.

They arrived at Axel's house in fifteen minutes. Riku's cigarette had been disposed of at a stop sign before they turned onto Axel's road. Riku watches the houses, white, grand, and flawless, and so much a like, pass him until they pull into the house he's slowly becoming familiar with. When they entered his house, Axel bypassed the kitchen all together and headed up his stairs into a room on his left.

"Welcome to Axel's pigpen. Try not to step on anything, it could eat you." Axel said as he kicked one of his t-shirts across the room. He sighed, "Okay. Fire away." He said as he settled into his chair across from Riku where he had crawled onto Axel's bed.

Riku sighed, pulling out a clipboard and pen from his bag. He cleared his throat, feeling a little nervous having to ask the questions, fearing he would ask a wrong question, and the other would laugh at him. He stared at the blank paper, blankly, until he got up the nerve to ask, "Where were you born?"

"Same place you were." He shrugged, taking no notice of Riku's nervousness.

"And your parents' names are Ansem and Ruxy?"

"No. Ansem and Lenore."

Riku paused in writing, staring at the paper with a blank look in his eyes. "But I thought your mom's name was…?" He asked his aquatic eyes looking over to green on the other side of the room.

Axel shook his head, 'no'. "She's my step-mom. Lenore Clarks was my actual mother. She died when I was three." He said, picking at a place on his chair, absently.

"So, Ruxy is yours and Larxene's step-mom?"

"No. Only my step-mom."

"I'm confused." Riku said, grabbing his temples in a poor attempt to wrap his mind around what Axel was telling him.

"When Larxene was three my dad and Ruxy split up for a bit. He met my mom at a bar; she was a bartender." Axel explained, with a slight shrug.

"Oh!" Riku hesitated a moment. "…How did your mom die?"

Axel pulled his hair out of his face, tying the long tresses in a loose ponytail. "I'm not really sure. Everything I know about her is from my sister. But, even she was too young to know how she died. I've asked my dad how she died, but he only says, 'Axel you mother is in the other room, just fine and dandy. And unless you plan on killing her any time soon, she'll be there for a while.'" He paused for a second, and Riku could see the wheels moving in his head. "I think he's trying to make me believe that my mother never really existed…"He said decisively.

"But Larxene…" He tried to say the name without making a face. "Surely he knows that she knows?"

"Oh, it's guaranteed. It's her favorite thing to throw at my father…especially when she thinks he's being mean to me."

"You're dad's a prick to you?"

"Both of them are." The redhead said, leaning forward in his chair. "I'm Ansem's mistake. They don't think I know, but I've heard them. They argue about it. When I was younger, especially." He cracked a humorless smile, as he began wheeling himself closer to where Riku was on his bed. "I remember when I was seven I was sitting in my room, I had just been punished for bringing a puppy home. I remember; they yelled at each other. Ruxy was so mad that I had brought that 'mongrel' home, and she said, 'If you had fixed it when that worthless bitch told you about him, if you had fixed it…'" He took a moment to let the memory course over him. "'If you had fixed it, we wouldn't have to worry about_ that_ mongrel bringing more mongrels home.'" His green eyes shot to Riku, who almost couldn't meet his gaze. "And my father said, 'I know.'"

Riku chewed his tongue for a moment, hating himself for what he was about to tell the redhead. He hesitated on whether or not to reach out his hand, knowing it was what he wanted, but not sure if he should encourage Axel and his crazy mission to become close to him. "I'm glad he did bring you home." He scrunched his face at how sappy that sounded, but in the last week, he supposed, Axel had been fun to talk to. He wasn't going to go out and admit that to Axel anytime soon, but it was definitely…interesting.

Axel cracked a weak smile at Riku's face, but, afterward, bowed his head to look at his clasped hands resting between his knees. "I think it would have been better had they sold me to the gypsies." He said honestly.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora and Roxas both lay on the blonde's bed in the late afternoon sunlight. Their hands were down by their sides, and loosely interlaced between them. They had been like this for a while, talking about random things that popped up between them ranging to exactly why Roxas had had to be the shit out of Seifer to whether or not they thought it should be legal to take a bath on the main street sidewalk. Of course these conversations had been broken up with quick kisses, and threats of torture if the other tried what they were, at the time, planning to do.

"So what are we?" Roxas asked, breaking the silence for the fourth time that day.

"If I have my way, we're good ol' boyfriend and boyfriend." Sora smiled.

The blonde's eyebrows crinkled in confusion, not understanding exactly where this had come from. He didn't want discourage it of course, but it was odd, and other than the terms of endearment, and the oddly place peck that had occurred between the two last weekend, it had come out of no where. So it was only logical, in his mind that he ask, "Why?"

Sora did not think it was logical at all. "You would think that would come under the category of obvious." He said with a hint of laughter.

"Sora, I know you. You poured an entire bucket of glue over a sidewalk because you were bored."

"You helped!" Sora protested, propping himself onto his elbow to look directly into dark blue eyes.

"But I know what's going on in my head." Roxas said grabbing either side of the brunette's head and shaking, as if hoping to spark a bit of intelligence into his friend's, obviously, still-asleep brain.

"Darling, I doubt what goes on in my head is that much different."

"Tell me anyway." He demanded.

Sora brushed Roxas' hair away from his face. "What do you want me to say?" He asked.

"Anything."

"I'm drawn to you." He said simply, expounding the simplicity of his statement with a helpless shrug. "I love every little thing about you, from your mind, to your heart, to your body." He said, running his hand over Roxas' scar, smiling when Roxas squirmed to get away from his touch. "I love it when you smile, when you call me on my stupidity, when you're being an ass, which, admit it, you are sometimes. I've wanted to kiss you for sometime now, and even if what happened last night was a bust and you did have to beat the shit out of Seifer… I'm glad for it. Had last night never happened, I don't think I ever would have got up the gumption to ask you." He stopped there, staring at an orange juice stain on Roxas' blue shirt.

Roxas' waited patiently, looking up at Sora from his position on the pillow, but when it became quite apparent that that was where he was going, he became agitated that that's, of course, where Sora would stop. He didn't remember a damn question that Sora had asked in the last fourteen hours. Not even a quick, 'Are you hungry?' Bastard… His lips pursed into his customary duck face, as he asked, trying to convey as little agitation as possible, "What did you want to ask me?"

Sora's brows pulled up, questioningly, as if asking, 'Oh, did I forget that part?', but afterward he smiled as asked, "Do you want to go out with me next Friday?"

Roxas smiled a little. A quirky smile that he never really showed much, but it was there, a smile that just barely reached his eyes, but made them dance regardless. "I suppose I have nothing better to do that day."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Will you marry me, Namine?"

Namine, who had previously been watering plants with Marluxia, stopped mid-sprits. Her eye twitched in confusion, and she had to rub her ears quickly before asking, "I'm sorry. One more time?"

Marluxia, who had previously been pretending to water plants, but all the while had been fretting over how to ask Namine what he had just asked her, stopped pretending to pour his water can over the table. Setting the can by the ferns, he meandered, nervously towards the petite blonde. "Will you marry me, Namine?" He asked again in the exact same tone.

She cocked her head to the side, not daring to look over her shoulder where she knew Marluxia would be hovering. "Why?" She demanded, her heart picking up pace.

"What do you mean 'why'? I love you. I want to marry you. There really isn't much more to the equation than that."

Namine opened and shut her mouth confusedly, her bluish-violet eyes closing briefly, so the world would stop spinning in front of her. "You don't think this sprung from no where?"

"No."

"We've only been together for six months." She screeched, grasping her hair in her fists, as the world spun more and more out of control.

Marluxia reached his arms out as if to catch her if she fell. "You don't have to be with someone your entire life to know you love them." He tried to reason with her.

Namine didn't say any thing.

"Marry me. Right here. Right now."

"Right now?" Namine asked skeptically, her eyebrow shooting up the little bit that her face would naturally allow.

"Yes." Marluxia nodded, grabbing her from behind by her upper arms.

Namine shook his hands off, turning around and putting her hands on her hips. "And I suppose you have a minister up your sleeves?" She asked obstinately.

A small smile crept onto his slightly girlish face. "If I did…?"

Namine whined, looking around her, as if asking the plants for their opinion, but all they did was bob their heads around indecisively. They were absolutely no help at all. "How long have you been planning this?" She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Since before I met your parents."

"That wasn't that long ago." She yelled.

"Fine. I've been planning this for two months." He sighed. "I've wanted to ask you since the second I met you though. I knew, then. I've always known. I want you." He looked into her eyes. "Marry me. Please?"

She met his eyes, the world having stopped spinning, but now there were butterflies in her stomach and she felt all wobbly. She forced her lips upwards, not entirely sure of herself, but willing to make an effort. "Okay." She breathed, still trying her best to smile as much as Marluxia was at the very moment.

Her heart hammered painfully against her chest.

Weren't women supposed to be beyond gleeful when they were proposed to?

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Riku sat at his table on Wednesday morning listening to the arguing coming from the living room of his living room between his uncle and Aerith. He would be late to his session with Vexen and Axel, and he knew that today was the last day that he would have to interrogate Axel, but he thought it would be best to stay here for a moment to hear the end of this.

"He needs to be put in a hospital!" He heard his uncle yell angrily.

"But he won't go." Aerith argued back. Riku had smiled a little earlier at the thought that this was one of the only times he had ever heard the calm and collected nurse yell. "He wants to stay here!"

"He is not getting better here!" Xemnas said slamming his hand against something, Riku only assumed the wall.

"He's comfortable here. If he were to go to a hospital he would only decay faster. The fact that he is in his own home makes him hold onto his surroundings longer. "

"If he could go to a hospital maybe he could get more professional help…"

"I'm a fine nurse and trust me when I say he'll last longer here!" Aerith contradicted, and Riku could just imagine her chest puffing out bravely.

There was a long pause, but just as sure as anything, came the quiet retaliation of Xemnas. "But he'll die none the less!" It sounded as if spoken through clenched teeth, and it wouldn't surprise Riku if it had indeed been spoken through like that. But no matter how he replayed it in his head, whether through clenched teeth, or through a lovely smile with tea and biscuits, it reverberated in his head as violently as the original statement had.

_He'll die none the less…_

'He's dead anyway.' A voice whispered nastily in Riku's mind.

Xemnas continued. "I'm not questioning your ability as a nurse, but as his uncle I am not looking at short term comfort…the sooner he goes…"

_The sooner he goes, the sooner we can move on._

It was unspoken, but most definitely there. Riku leaned his head into his hands, rubbing his eyes with his palms. He stood up from his chair, and strolled unnoticed into his brother's room, where he could see the long knotted silver hair around the paling face. He looked much like Priti did before she had died. He crept upon his brother, something he would've feared to do as a child, but now there was nothing Sephiroth could do. He might as well have been a clown doll that lost influence as the years went by.

Riku sat on the edge of his brother's bed, staring at the gaunt face with nothing but a grimace. There was a time a long time ago, that his brother's face was tight, and cold. Riku had done much to be everything like him, and now he feared he could be maybe too much like him.

Now that he thought about it, Sephiroth had been in his senior year when he had brought Larxene home. Priti had smiled sweetly at her, but in the kitchen she had worried over whether she would stay for more than a week. It was Priti's death that had ultimately triggered Sephiroth's own disease. And it would be Larxene's leaving him that would end any want of him getting better.

Now, he was in his senior year, and there was Axel. His brother was dying, and Riku feared that he would be forced into a stage of Angel's disease. And at the end of it all he feared that when Axel and he parted ways at the end to the school year he would only get worse.

It seemed that this generation of Melosine's had a special weakness for the Wise's.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Axel sat on his bed, his hands folded between his knees, and his head hanging limply from his neck. He felt mentally exhausted. His sister hadn't come home last night, again, for the fifth night in a row. He had waited up all night for her, and in the mean time had tried looking up information on his father's computer about Angel's disease. But what he had found was clinical information, best doctors, and a very disturbing picture of a girl in a wheelchair, with the caption, "Are you sure I'm real?"

It had been the most unhelpful thing he had ever stumbled across in the history of forever and he wanted to shoot the internet for not giving him the information he wanted. He wanted to shoot the first man or woman who had ever had Angel's disease, and then Riku for making him curious enough to look the stupid disease up. He wanted to shoot his sister's date for keeping her out so long, and then he wanted to shoot his sister for not bothering to come home. And he wanted to shoot himself for not feeling the slightest bit of hunger.

He was so out of sorts that he stormed downstairs without his mp3 player, nearly knocked his father over, and didn't even pause to grab his coat, which if it would be marked, he regretted later.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Vexen wasn't in his room when Riku arrived, but Axel was at his usual spot at the table. His head was on the table, his hair pulled back in a messy braid. Riku had learned that Axel had absolutely no idea how to braid hair, but to give him credit it looked vaguely like a braid should. Riku sighed, heading over to the redhead, as if it were his resigned fate.

Axel didn't move at all, and Riku almost thought he was asleep. But then he heard, "You're late." In Axel's tired gravely voice.

Riku's shoulders slumped as he tugged Axel's head up from the table by the giant knot masquerading as a braid."Fun morning." He replied quietly, taking the rubber-band out of his hair, and finger-combing the braid, and the knots that followed, out.

Axel sat still, letting his hair be pulled on, but continued to conversation. "Vexen told me that he have until the fifth of January to finish our papers."

He shrugged. "Good deal."

"What's wrong?" The redhead asked, leaning his head back a little to look at the other's blank features.

"I had too much time to think this morning."

Axel sighed. "Me too." Riku finished the braid, the rubber-band now securely fastened in his red hair, he leaned his head back to rest against the shorter of the two's stomach. "Riku?" He asked. Riku's brow shot up in question. "Explain to me what Angel's disease is."

"Look it up in an Encyclopedia." Came his answer as he tried to move away.

Axel reached up with his long arms to hold Riku's shoulders, ensuring that he didn't move far away. "I don't like its definition." He said snappily, his green eyes showing his frustration, and tiredness.

Riku took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling so he wouldn't have to meet Axel's tired eyes. "Angel's disease…" Riku paused to let a small giggle pass his lips. "Priti once told me Angel's disease was like your mind being the worst fucking dick of a hypnotist that you could ever imagine." He looked at Axel whose face he could see was lighting up with one of his crooked grins. "It's like your mind…it makes up all of these scenarios, arguments, conversations that aren't real, conversations with dead people.

"In more moderate cases," He said, shaking himself out of Axel's grip, and sitting down in the seat beside him. "In moderate cases, like first stage Angel's disease, and a moderate version of second stage, you really only think your doing things you could never do. When my brother was first diagnosed with Angel's disease he told me that he had had an in depth conversation with the mermaid in our toilet. It's really easy to help that. A good psychiatrist can tell you a good anti-psychotic that would help you deal with it."

He sighed, tiredly, leaning back in his seat. "Third stage Angel's disease is where you're body starts to stress from the disease. You always believe your sick, and so you take everything that even says that it could help with any side effect that you could have. You don't eat, because you think you ate just five minutes ago, all the time. You can actually feel like you've just digested something.

"And, fourth stage Angel's disease is just a complete breakdown of reality. You're really never sure whether you're in real life or in an attack. You sleep all the time because you're so sure you've been up for the last seven days. When you're up you're constantly showering because you feel so fucking dirty you can't stand to look at your own hands because there are these giant disgusting spots of dirt all over you. And you're so sure you've seen every movie that's come out within the last seven years."

He wrinkled his nose, taking a deep breath after that miniature speech. "But that's only what my mom's doctor told me."

"When did he tell you all of this?"

Riku cracked an obnoxious smile."After he paid me six hundred dollars for the best fuck of his life."

"Please tell me you're joking." He pleaded, looking up from studying his braid. He studied Riku's face over, looking for any sign of a joke, but found an impassive mask above all else.

But finally, Riku smirked. "I'm joking. I practically lived at the hospital the last two months my mother was in there. The doctors and nurses would talk to me when they had nothing else to do."

Axel nodded. He was going to let it go there, maybe catch up on some sleep, maybe clutch his heart for a few moments after that near heart attack Riku had given him, but curiosity had just grabbed hold of his mind. He had to know. "What got you started…you know, in prostitution?"

"I don't know." Riku said, shrugging his shoulders. "I was walking down the street with Kairi about a month after Priti died, and some asshole whistled at me. I didn't even think, I whipped around and said, 'Three hundred dollars plus hotel room fees.' The next week I was back there, and so was he and…he came up to me and said, 'Three fifty if you stay until midnight. Seven hundred for the night.'

"I only stayed until midnight. I was so disgusted with myself. I took the money and then ran to the alley behind the hotel. I didn't go back out there until a week later, wearing eyeliner and the most form-fitting shirt I could find in my closet. I thought that was pretty good dough to be rolling in, considering I only day dreamed about what the next fucking episode of Days of Our Lives would entail for thirty minutes at a time."

Axel nearly smiled, until he realized exactly how funny that wasn't. "Why do you do it?"

"Oh boy." Riku breathed, puffing his cheeks out like an orangutan in the process. "I don't know really. Not anymore, at least. At first it was like this way to get money for Sephiroth, while completely forgetting about Sephiroth at the same time."

"I would think that he would have some sort of insurance for Angel's disease."

"He does. But it wouldn't have covered therapy." He yawned, and looking at the redhead he could see that he had triggered him to yawn as well. Cautiously he leaned over, scooting his chair directly next to the other's until he could easily lean over and rest his head on the other. He knew he shouldn't encourage Axel, or himself honestly, but he was tired, and it felt right. "You see," He continued. "When Sephiroth was first diagnosed, he was still easily curable. He wouldn't have needed half the drugs he does if he had gone to a psychiatrist and gotten a good hold on himself. But, he was dating this…this girl, and she left him and it totally erased any hope of him wanting to go to therapy of any kind, including aromatherapy." Axel snorted humorously.

"Now I suppose I go out of habit. I like the money, even if I don't do anything with it. I suppose it'll come in handy if I ever need to get away, if I ever need to get away from my life."

"How much money do you have?" Axel asked resting his head on the soft lunar colored hair.

Riku sucked in a deep breath, pulling out from under Axel's chin, before reaching into his bag to grab the graphing calculator he had rented from Mr. Lexeaus in Calculus. Pressing a lot of buttons randomly to Axel, he raised an eyebrow. "Somewhere around… 468,000 dollars, give or take."

"Holy Fuck! How the hell…?" Axel screeched, grabbing the calculator from Riku to look at the digits.

"Well you figure, I don't go anywhere with anyone for under two fifty, but I usually get about three hundred. And I get about two customers per night on average." He said, pushing the buttons correlating with his speech. "For two and a half years." He pressed more buttons. "It's about that. Four hundred sixty-eight thousand dollars in a bank account my mother set up for me when I was thirteen."

"And you don't spend it on anything?" Axel said skeptically.

Riku shook his head. "No. I don't have to. You gotta think…Priti owned our house, so it's just passing from family member to family member. My uncle pays for our utilities, along with clothing, shoes, and whatever else he feels like wasting his money on (Beautiful thing about him having no kids.). There's nothing left really. Medical is covered by insurance. I like the exercise walking and running gives me, so there's no need for a car. I just stuff it in my bank."

"Damn. So you've got like…half a million dollars in there, with money your mom must have put in before she died and interest."

"I suppose…"Riku said with a shrug, leaning back over to rest on the redhead. "I don't open my bank statements."

Axel looked down at the crown of Riku's head, noting the way the light reflected off of it and made it look completely white. Without a second thought he threw an arm around the other, holding him loosely. "Riku," He asked, the question burning him from this inside out. "If you were to get Angel's disease, can you tell what stage you would get?"

Riku rotated his head on the redhead's shoulder, looking at the pale boy from under his chin. "I would be most likely to get either first stage or fourth."

Axel smiled at the irony. "So, you would get an end of the spectrum." He asked, watching Riku moved back to his own chair, but still keeping very close to Axel.

"Yeah."

"Please don't get any disease." Axel smiled, keeping eye-contact with bright, shining, so different from seeing him on the corner, aquamarine eyes.

"I'll try not to." Riku said, watching the older lean toward him. He made no effort to move forward, but he didn't lean away, content in letting Axel come to him.

_Don't do it!_ The unsavory nasty little voice that he would figure out how to kill one of these days, spoke again. Riku was going to ignore it, as he ignored most everyone who tried to tell him what to do, but it had sounded an alarm in Riku's mind and caused him to glance around the room, finding that… "Vexen's watching us." He whispered his breath ghosting against Axel's lips.

Axel opened his eyes, which had shut on their own accord when he was close enough to Riku. He gave a quick glance to the room's entrance, which the other was fervently trying not to look at, and smirked. "Perv."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Kairi sat at lunch with Roxas and Namine, eating whatever sludge that the cafeteria was passing off as food. It looked a little like mud from the bottom of the Loch Ness, but with some yellow-ish looking ranch, salt and pepper, Kairi found that it was easy on the taste buds. She had asked them where everyone else was, a question for which she received no reply from Namine, and only a quick reply from Roxas that Sora was serving lunch detention for super-gluing Ms. Almuerza's pencils to her desk (This was said with an expressive eyeroll, and an irritated growl.), that Riku was talking with his Uncle over something he hadn't told anyone about, and Axel was just missing-in-action.

With such clipped responses, Kairi had felt the need to stay silent for most of the lunch, until Ms. Almuerza had waddled into the cafeteria, and Roxas had high-tailed it for the exit, saying something about worthless Sora and his inability to keep his hands to himself. Of course, this left Namine and Kairi alone, with the silence more tense, and expressive than that of anything Kairi had ever felt before.

And knowing this…the silence had to leave…even if it put Kairi in mortal danger.

"Are you still mad at me?" She asked, licking her lips in nervousness.

"You've not given me a reason to not be upset with you." Came the blonde's short, cold reply.

Kairi huffed, throwing herself back against the seat, with her arms folded against her chest. "How can I if I don't even know what I did?" She pouted, her bottom lip jutting out in hopes of gaining pity.

"How can you_ not_ know what you did?" Namine snapped, her hand falling on the table with a loud, 'smack', and causing her sketchbook and empty salad bowl to jump. "You only ruined any chance of the family liking Marluxia."

"I did not! You're overreacting." Kairi said, calmly, refusing to meet the livid eyes of the blonde, who stared at Kairi with expressive eyes that clearly said, 'Are you high? Kairi faltered, slumping into her chair, and glaring at her empty tray. "Okay. Maybe a little, I did. But, Namie," She used her cousin's nickname, the one she hadn't used since she was thirteen. "He's just so old, and I'm afraid he's not going to be good for you."

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to make that decision?"

"Well…" Kairi shrugged, feeling miserable for having done anything to make her cousin upset.

"I'm happy with him, Kairi." Namine said, whipping out her left hand to put in on the table, to where Kairi could see an engagement ring (which Namine had only received Monday afternoon.), gleaming brightly in the bright cafeteria lights.

"You're engaged!?" Kairi gasped, reaching out to snatch Namine's hand for closer inspection.

Namine nodded.

"Why?" The auburn haired girl demanded, looking to the more mature of the two for an answer.

Namine snatched her hand away, quickly, leaning over the table to so that Kairi could see the intensity of her glare. "Because I'm happy with him!" She bit.

"But what if you're not happy in ten years?" Kairi pleaded, reaching back out for the other's hand, an offering which was shot down with a sneer, and the sound of a chair screeching across the tile floor.

Namine stared down at her cousin with contempt, her eyes blazing with anger. "Who cares?" She yelled, her hand flying into the air randomly, causing Kairi to startle. "Life is not meant to be a rapid succession of 'jolly joys'. If I can find just a fleeting moment of happiness, then it's just enough to make my life just a little more than an aimless wandering towards death."

She picked up her sketchbook and pencils, grabbing her smart bag and began walking towards the exit. The only thing she stopped for was to whirl around once, her eyes still angry, and her knuckles white from the grip she had on her notebook. Standing there, angrier than Kairi had ever seen her, she said, "Maybe you should invest in that theory too. You'd be less of a bitch!"

Then she was gone again, leaving Kairi alone at the table, staring at the ground with an empty expression.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Having fun here by your lonesome?" Roxas asked Sora from his post, leaning against the classroom doorway, his arms folded against his chest.

"Oh yes. I'm dissecting the dichotomy of good and evil." Was the estranged reply from the boy across the room, who, Roxas could see, was twiddling his thumbs.

Roxas' bows crinkled worriedly. "Discovered anything?"

"Yes. I've discovered seven pieces of fresh gum under this desk."

Roxas chuckled, taking a step into the room after checking the hall to see if the devil lady was coming. "Have you lost it, Sora?" He asked with a smile.

"I think so." Sora said, whipping around in his seat to watch his boyfriend come closer. "She took away my paper with which to write out my will incase I die of boredom."

"Maybe you'll think twice about playing pranks on teachers."

"I'll think twice about getting caught. That's for damn sure." He said assuredly, with a nod of his head.

"You're incorrigible." Roxas said, sitting on Sora's desk, with a small grin.

Sora turned back around and stared up at Roxas. "Not incorrigible. Just not likely to stop."

"I see the big difference." The blonde said with a sarcastic nod.

"Good. I'm not alone!" Sora threw his arms around Roxas' waist, resting his head on his stomach. "Thank God you came! I'm not sure how much longer I would've lasted without company. She made me listen to Spanish music, Roxas."

"Oh, the tragedy." Roxas said, running his hands through the chocolate colored hair, unsympathetically.

"You know you could pretend, you wretch." Sora huffed, wrenching his head up to glare pathetically at Roxas.

Roxas only shrugged, trying to hold back his laughter.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Jeez! It's cold as fuck out here!" Axel said through chattering teeth, walking down the street with Riku. He hadn't brought his coat to school, and now he was going to have to walk to Demyx's house coatless, and he would probably can pneumonia, and die!

"Maybe you should have brought your coat." Riku said, wrapping his own coat around him securely.

"Maybe you should have brought…Bite me!" The redhead growled, scowling ahead of him. He didn't see Riku whip around until too late; the other had quickly grabbed Axel's red, cold, windblown, arm and sank his teeth into it. "OW!" He yelled, yanking his arm out of Riku's mouth. "What the hell?" He glared, confoundedly.

"You said, 'Bite me'." Riku shrugged.

Wiping the saliva from his arm onto Riku's jacket, he sneered, disgustedly, "Oh, a clever chap, you are."

"Charming at the very least." Riku said with a confident swagger in his voice.

Axel grunted in agreement, stopping at the road before them. "Well, we must now part." He said, though he made no attempt at all to move away from the other.

"Don't you turn further down?" Riku asked with puzzlement.

"I'm going to go see one of my friends."

Riku's brows shot up with clarity. "Oh."

"What are you going to do?" Axel asked curiously.

"Well, I thought about going down to my corner, but…I think I'm going to go spend time with my brother. Who knows how much longer he'll remember me, you know?"

"Yeah." The older nodded understandingly. "Have fun."

He snorted. "I'll try." He stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his form fitting jeans. He took a step or two back, but it was obvious he wasn't going to go any further.

Axel smiled, happy to give Riku a reason to stay with him for a little bit longer. "Hey, Riku…" His smile faded a little, and he hoped he would take his advice. "Don't go out to Hollywood tonight. It's supposed to get to twenty below zero."

Riku looked his counterpart over, wondering if he should give in or be obstinate. It would make sense to be obstinate of course; he was always obstinate. Obstinate may as well have been his middle name. But he liked the way it felt to have someone worry about him again, and he didn't want to discourage it. "Okay." He said, with a slight shrug, and small smile.

Axel stepped towards Riku and cupped his face with his freezing fingers. "Thanks." He said.

The two of them stared at each other afterwards, not having anything to say, but feeling as if something should be done before they parted ways. So, Axel being the gentleman that he was, took the initiative to do this unknown something, and leaned down, jerking on Riku's shoulder and compelling the lunar-hair smoker to take the few steps towards him.

_Don't do it._ A voice chastised as he tilted his head back, wrapping an arm around Axel's neck.

He chose not to listen, the voice also having been the reason most of his life was in such a shambles. He only leaned up intent on meeting Axel halfway there.

_Don't do it._ The voice repeated. _Or you'll end up just like Sephiroth._

Riku flinched at the thought, but refused to turn away. He knew, somehow he just knew, Axel wouldn't leave him. He had to know it. He needed to know it. He couldn't judge a book by its cover, especially if it was wearing the wrong cover.

Axel pressed his cold lips to the slightly warmer ones below him, wrapping his arms under Riku's to make sure that the younger didn't go anywhere until he was ready. They didn't demand anything from each other, and it remained a closed mouth kiss. But it was definitely one of the most sentimental kisses Riku had ever been engaged in, and absolutely the warmest he had ever felt to give anyone.

"I'll call you over break." Axel said pulling away, after a moment too long of not breathing.

"You don't have to."Riku replied; his hand slipping onto the taller's chest.

"I want to."

"Whatever you want, Prince Philip." Riku said, taking steps back, turning quickly to jog across the street.

Axel watched the other for a bit, until he was out of sight.

It was suddenly a lot colder.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: How are we all feeling after this chapter? Good? I hope so. I was soooooo close to making Riku walk away. Yeah. Feel loved, because Axel sooo almost wasn't.

Love you allllll Because! I HAVE 200 + REVIEWS! AH! I thought I was going to die of a joygasm! I'm serious, I went around my house just like, drooling in absolute awe. It's soooo sad.

And now I must leave.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Keep sharing the love!

InnocentGuilt


	18. Empathetic

A/N: I don't know what to say.

Wait, yes I do! I have 235 reviews! AHHHHHH! I love it! It's not like a half way mark or anything, but I don't think I made a big enough deal about it last chapter! I have 235 reviews! YES!

And because I feel like rambling, we are going to have a small "WHAT'S THE AUTHOR BEEN UP TO" session. Since prom, I have graduated (Duh.), I cut my hair from the middle of my back to a little boy cut, I work almost non-stop, my friend and I stopped being, well, friends (I've complained about that enough; you know that, already.), and I have recently began to see every movie ever released to theatres. Yeah. That's me now. Oh! And when I'm not sleeping, at work, or at a movie, I'm working on this blasted story…yeah. I'm hoping, hoping, HOPING to have this done by the end of August.

I think I can do it…I hope I can do it. le sigh

Onto the story!

&$&$&$&$&$&

_We don't mind the anger  
We don't mind the pain  
We don't mind the emptiness  
As long as you feel the same- Empathetic by Me._

Roxas walked out of his room, into the living room where his mother was watching a court room drama and balancing her check book. She glanced at him when he sat down next to her, rolling her eyes when he heaved a fake sigh; she pushed him with her shoulder. "May I help you?" She asked indulgently, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

Roxas' head rolled around on his shoulders, poofing his lips out in diversion. He sighed, glancing at his mom from the corner of his eye. When he took in her bored face, he cracked a grin. He took a deep breath and hopping around on the couch, like a five year old. "What are you getting me for Christmas?"

Her head fell limply into her hand, the motion clearly saying, 'of course.' She sighed and looked up at him, her eyes sarcastic and hard. "A lump of coal, it's all you deserve." She said frankly, going back to her check book.

"I beg to disagree."

"Beg all you like." She said without looking up at him. "Santa is bringing you the biggest lump of coal he can get his fat, pudgy fingers on."

"Come on, Mom." Roxas said, pouting. "You've told me what you're getting me for Christmas for the last five years." He grabbed her arm and shook it, giving her barely enough time to jerk her pen away from the book.

"I know. But it takes all the excitement out of it for me…" She said with guilty blue eyes.

Roxas stared at his mother for a moment, taking in how uncaring she really looked. "You are a terrible liar, Mom."

"Shut up, kid." Phoenix said pushing him away by using his head.

He laughed, fixing his mussed up hair. When he had his hair tamed, he threw himself onto his mother, causing a surprised squeak to escape from her lips. "Tell me! You know you wanna." He yelled, pinning Phoenix's arms down by her sides so she couldn't push him off.

"Get off me, freak-monger!" She yelled, wiggling around his arms. She tried to move her arms around to attack her son, but she was getting nowhere quickly. She glared at Roxas, huffing upsetly. She was about to tell him that if he didn't get off her, she was going to sell him to the gypsies, but then he gave her the puppy eyes. She shrugged out of his embrace, acting like he was smoothing out the wrinkles on her nonexistant sleeves. "I'm getting a house, Roxie." She said, pushing her hand over his mouth before he could squeal.

As soon as she was sure that he wouldn't scream like a mad fangirl, she released him, weary of his large eyes and stunned face. "A…a house?" He asked, unbelievingly. "As in, no more apartment?"

"Yeah, is that okay?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow, sarcastically.

He shuffled around on the couch, rubbing his scar unconsciously, reminding him of Sora, who took great delight in brushing up against it. "What's the chance of it setting on fire?"

"There are smoke alarms." She laughed. "Good ones. Brand new, they are." She reassured him. "I held a lighter under it to make sure that it went off, even." She said, petting his hair.

He swatted her hand away, smoothing his hair to the flat of his head with his hands. "How many bedrooms?"

"Three. I figure one for me, one for you, and one for your brunette shadow." She said, referencing to her nearly adopted Sora.

"Sora doesn't need his own room." Roxas said, maybe a little too quickly. He looked over to his mother quickly, noticing a slightly suspicious glint in her eyes. She smirked a little, resting her elbow on her knee and her head in the same hand.

"Are you two gonna share forever?" She asked sweetly.

He blushed. "We don't mind…"

"Am I out of the loop on something?" She asked with a slight bit of a quirked eyebrow, leaning closer for the answer Roxas was sure to mumble as a desperate means of escape. He tried to lean away from her, lying on his elbows with a pout. But to prove that she was mom and there was no escaping her, Phoenix followed after him, lying on top of him and wrapping her hands in his shirt.

Roxas harrumphed, glaring down at his mother. "We went on a date last Friday?" He asked, unsure if that was what she wanted to here by the mock serious look in her face. Damn his mother for being one of the best people he knew at keeping their face relaxed.

"What? And I didn't get pictures?" She said monotonously, her delicate hand smacking his shoulder lightly as it came to pass that she was scowling at him in a betrayed manner.

Roxas looked dubious. "It's not like it was a ball or something, Mom. We went to the movies."

"What'd you two go see?" She smirked, pervertedly.

"Some horror flick." He shrugged non-commitally, waving it off because he could honestly remember nothing about it. "It was super cheesy and I totally called the ending five minutes into it."

"And what was the ending?"

"The dude died, and the chick killed the bad guy." Came the younger's vague answer, accompanied with a willowy wave of his hand.

"Is that the only part you watched?" His mother asked accusingly, rearranging herself on the couch so as to become more comfortable, still using Roxas as a head rest. She pet his sides lovingly, listening to the sound of her son's breathing.

"No…I watched the beginning too. It was only after that that we turned into heathens." He said with a smirk.

Phoenix sighed, before her eyes bulged. "Please say you didn't lose any clothing."

Roxas thought for a moment. "Hmm?" He wondered, enjoying watching his mother's face wash over in shock. He smiled contently. "There was only one sock I couldn't find."

"Oh…dear." She said, sitting upright with her hand over her heart. "Not the ones with your name on the bottoms, right?"

He laughed, victoriously. "I was kidding, Mom. Just kidding." He grinned, catching her pen that she had thrown at him.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"I'm taking tomorrow off. I need to go to an all day seminar. Can you handle Sephiroth by yourself?" Aerith said as she bustled around the kitchen in a furious attempt to straighten everything in the house at once. She put the dishes up with one hand, wiping the counter with the other. She counted the number of shots in the fridge while cleaning it at. Now she was sweeping while giving instructions to Riku. He wondered briefly when she had become the maid, but with him never home, and Sephiroth going just a bit pear-shaped in the head, he figured she had to do something to keep herself from joining his brother in the mindless epitome that was Angel's disease.

He, contrary to Aerith, sat on a kitchen chair, his feet propped up at the table, thinking about everything from the worst day of his life, when his mother had died, to the admittedly not bad day, when Axel had kissed him, just last Wednesday. At Aerith's question, however, he pulled out of his haze, putting away the memory of the way it had felt to be up against the tall, and way too thin redhead. "Yeah. I did it before you showed up, believe it or not." He said with a guilty frown._ He did do it!_

She stopped sweeping and sat on the table in front of him, smoothing down her pretty scrubs. With a sweet smile she nodded. "Okay." She said, tucking his hair behind his ear, fondly. The smile left soon though as she looked into his eyes, and he just knew she could see what he was hiding. He just knew that she had seen the signs. He blinked, rapidly and looked away from her deep green eyes, making it his buisiness to stare at the slowly cleansing floor. He didn't look back up at her until she stood again and began sweeping, talking to him again as if Sephiroth were her pet in need of being watched. "Be careful, and try locking the drawers. His weakness is making it hard to break anything. So, that's what I've been doing when you're gone."

"Okay." Riku said with a nod.

She gave a quick swipe across her brow, wiping away the light sweat that she was getting from working so fast. "Your uncle's coming by later tonight," She said with a frown at Xemnas' title. "He'll be here with some food, so you don't have to worry about trying to cook." She said with a sigh, leaning over to pick a large piece of paper off of the ground. She read through it quickly, before deciding it wasn't worth keeping and pressing it into the trashcan.

"I can cook." Riku sounded off indignantly, folding his arms across his chest.

She sighed, pressing her head into her palm. "I know you can." She said, calmly, tiredly. "Xemnas just wants a reason to visit. He's been meaning to have a family dinner, and I think since I'm here, it's impeding that progress." She grumbled, getting the dustpan from in front of Riku. She leaned down on the floor and swept the dust into the pan, scooting it back a few inches to get the extra dirt.

He watched her stand up to pour the trash into the garbage, appreciating her more than he had appreciated anyone within the last hear and a half year. She had done everything for the two of them in these past months. Even so much as to take care of Sephiroth when it was obviously, not her place. It was his. It was Riku's, or so he thought. "I'm sorry I haven't been here." He offered, quietly, hating the way her gaze snapped to his, sympathetically.

She took a trembling breath, setting down across from him slowly. The entire time, her eyes were averted, looking at the floor under his seat. "It's easier." She said, softly, her hand finding his knee comfortingly. "It's easier for strangers to watch people die." She refused to look at him, her face deep red, whether from her over exertion, or from embarrassment at having admitted that there was no way Sephiroth was pulling out of this, he wasn't sure.

"You're not a stranger, anymore, though." He defended. "And I've completely pawned him off on you." He spat, bitter in a split second.

She rubbed his knee, finally looking up into his eyes. She stared into his eyes again, but began talking regardless, keeping all of his attention on her. "I don't love him like you do." She said in a brutally truthful manner. "I've learned how to keep to the other side of the glass. Even if I am closer to some patients than the others, I've never been stupid enough to get attached." She grabbed his arm, now staring contently at her pink nurses outfit. She stood then, grabbing her little brown leather purse. "Bye, Riku. I'll see you the day after tomorrow." Aerith said, giving him a quick hug, and exiting the house before there was even a slight chance that another awkward conversation could start.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

All three members of Sora's family had decided to act somewhat remotely like family on Saturday afternoon, choosing to have breakfast together. So it was that Cid was at the stove, sweating like a pig to finish the entire breakfast course, consisting of bacon, eggs, potatoes, and toast. Acylone read her magazine with false rapt, and Sora watched his mother expectantly, waiting for her to pop with whatever 'news' she had found out.

His heart hammered in thought that she had already found out that he was doing more than just the friend thing with Roxas. That he would A.) have to stop seeing Roxas that instant, or B.) leave this house that very second so she didn't have to look at his fag face. And he really wanted breakfast. Biting his lip subconsciously, he didn't see his mother's face pop out of her magazine with a disgusted frown.

"You know your friends…uh, Leo and Claus?" She asked, waving her hands vaguely in the air. "They graduated two years before you. You know the ones." She looked at him expectantly, watching his face for any sign of recognition.

Deciding it was much too early in the morning to play dumb, especially when his father, not ten feet away, knew exactly she was talking about. He took a deep breath, releived that it wasn't Roxas she was bringing up, at least for today. "Leon and Cloud." He corrected, leaning back in his seat, and folding his arms across his chest. "What about them?"

"Did you know they're gay?" She put her magazine down with a snap, her eyes hard, and cold as she asked the question through pursed lips.

He smiled, looking around the room, in utter disbelief of his mother. Rotating his head around to look at his mother with empty eyes. "Did your gaydar go off again? He asked with a smirk. Out of the courner of his eyes he could see his father shake his head in a way said that he was disapproving of the way he spoke to his mother, but he didn't care at the moment. He pushed his chair away from the table and jumped up on the island in the kitchen, further away from his mother, and right in the way of what his father was doing.

She scoffed as she picked her magazine back up. "Sora, this is no laughing matter. Do you know that's three of your friends that are gay?"

Sora scrunched his eyebrows, his eyes looking around the room in confusion, noting the same look on his father's face. He held up three fingers in his mother's direction, taking his other hand and hovering it above him. 'Leon,' he mouthed, beginning to fold down his index finger. 'Cloud,' he followed the other name, beginning to pulled down his ring finger, while staring at his mother's back. Before he could peel his ring finger down, leaving in it's place an obscene gesture as a substitute for the unknown person, his father's hand closed around his fist, folding all of his fingers into his palm. He withered guiltily under Cid's stare, before nodding and returning to his mother. "Mom, I only count two."

Acylone twirled I her chair, to stair at him, and whisper in a conspiring tone, "Leon, Claus, and Riku are all gay." She turned back around

"Cloud. C-L-O-U-D. Cloud." He corrected under his breath. Twisting around on the island to look out the window, with and agitated huff, he asked, "Do you hire detectives to find this stuff out?"

She shrugged, turning the page to her magazine. "It's just in the gossip system."

"How do you know it's true, then, honey?" Cid asked, watching from the corner of his eye as Sora rolled his eyes, and shook his head. The boy sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth, closing his eyes while taking a deep breath. He hopped down off the counter, straightening his tee-shirt.

"All of my sources are reliable." She snapped at her husband. She sighed afterwards, when he didn't take the time to properly get angry and glare at her. "Sora, I don't think you should hang out with them anymore. Who knows what kind of influence they're giving you." She said, giving her son a meaningful look, practically telling him, 'do it, or die.'

"Yeah, mom. Whatever." Sora said. He took a plate from the cupboard, taking some toast, bacon and eggs that his father served him. The potatoes weren't done but he didn't feel like waiting for them. He was hungry and he wanted to get away from his mother so badly. "I'm eating in my room." He told his father, staring at the food on his plate when his father looked at him in what, to Sora, appeared to be a disappointed gaze.

He walked away quickly before his father could say anything, ignoring, completely, his mother.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Kairi walked around downtown with no one but herself to keep her company. She had gone into several stores, and found several of her friends. But she had found nothing that she wanted to buy, and no one that she wanted to hang out with. They all had significant others, and were just too happy, and they all reminded her of Namine and her cruel words, more than a week gone.

So she was alone, kicking pebbles on the sidewalk further down the sidewalk so she could kick them when she had come close enough again. She was almost about to go home, lounge on her bed, maybe consider watching television instead of wallowing in self-pity. Just as she was about to turn around and head away from this street and back to the vacant car-lot where she had parked her vehicle, she saw a familiar bounce of short black hair. It was the assistant teacher for Professor Luxord…what was her name…

She stomped her foot, trying to get the name to come back to her. Yuppie…Yorkie…Yuki…Yuffie! That was it! Yuffie! Yuffie was an interesting enough person, no significant other, a pet moogle that she dispised…perfect for saving her from boredom.

Jogging over to the almost-college graduate, she stopped next to her, folding her hands in front of her innocently. "Hi, Miss Yuffie. What are you doing out here?" She asked, looking at the big bags hanging limply in her hands.

"Christmas shopping." Yuffie said with a smile and a shrug.

Kairi nodded, trying to look into the bag for any hint of what she was buying. When she found none, she guessed, randomly. "For your family?"

She shook her head,"No. Just decorations. My parents are the only family I have. They don't want me to buy them anything." She said, waving her hand around in the air, as if it should be obvious to Kairi.

The younder nodded, toeing the ground in front of her nervously. "Are you about done?" She asked with a pounding heard.

Yuffie shook her head visciously. "No. I've got, like, zillions of stores I have to stop by. I love holidays. I have to completely go overboard on every single one!" She laughed, giving Kairi a little shove.

Kairi stepped back a few paces, laughing along with the bruette. "Do you, uh, mind if I go with?" She asked, loosing her smile and looking at Yuffie hopefully. She wasn't precisely sure why she wanted to go with Yuffie…but it was better than being on her own. It was better than wallowing in her self-pity on her bed with cartoons running in the background.

"Don't you have friends to gallivant around with?" She asked skeptically, looking around for even children ready to throw…rocks at her.

Kairi shrugged with a sad smile, knowing how pathetic she must look."We're on the fritz right now."

"Whatever." The elder smiled. "Come on."

Kairi sighed with relief, and hurried after her as she had already started on her way to her next store.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The ringing interrupted him from his position of staring numbly into the television screen, while his brother slept comfortably on his bed. He had been like this ever since Aerith had left, not getting up to get a drink, any food, not even his cigarettes…which he was really craving right about now, there were a few times he was positive he wasn't even blinking, but then he would blink because he had thought about it and then decide that he was obviously still blinking. He had flipped through the channels several times, the cartoons getting old, only so many cop shows he could take, and finally he had to give in, deciding to watch Days of Our Lives.

He sighed, readjusting in his seat for a better position to fall asleep in. He was almost there, too, but just as he was about to hit that lovely haze between sleep and wakefulness his cell phone started buzzing wildly in his pockets, which he was lately beginning to despise the tightness of. Pulling out his death-phone, he stared blankly at the number on the screen.

"Yeah? Who is this?" He demanded.

"Hey. It's me!"

He rolled his eyes. "Who's 'me'?"

"Axel. Freak." He chastised, as if it should be apparent to the entire world.

"How'd you get my number."

"You called me whenever you whooped Seifer's ass. I saved it in my phone." He heard the chuckle on the other end of the line. "How'd you think I was going to call you?"

"I didn't think you would call me at all!" Riku said, loudly. "We're guys. We don't call back if the end of the world is eminent."

"Yeah. Whatever. What are you doing?" Axel asked.

"I'm brother-sitting." Riku sighed, putting his phone on speaker, setting it on the arm of the chair, and then leaning his head back to force himself into the mindlessness that was the TV.

"How's that going?"

"Oh, I think Sephiroth is setting a religion completely based on sleep." Riku said with an affirmative nod.

"So…what are you doing?"

"I'm watching a Days of Our Lives Marathon."

"Are you serious?" Axel deadpanned, and Riku could practically see the unbelieving stare from him.

"Yeah. I was watching cartoons earlier, but they're really stupid. I needed something with drama. What are you doing?" He asked, playing with a loose thread in his seat.

"I'm on my way to Demyx's."

Riku perked at the name. "You still talk to that kid?" He asked incredulously.

"I think I talk to him more than I talk to Roxas."

Axel sighed, listening to his stomach growl. He poked his stomach, with a small frown. "Is that on the way to my house?"

"It can be." Axel said vaguely.

"I don't want to make you go out of your way."

"Riku!"

"Will you pick me up some Japanese food?" He asked quickly.

He could here the smile. "What do you want?"

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Not a second after hanging up with Axel, Riku's phone buzzed again, causing Riku to growl in frustration that his phone was constantly going off. He was about to flip it open and tell whoever was on the other line to stop fucking calling him, but he read the ID.

**The Uncle**

He sighed, flipping over the cover and pressing it to his ear. "Yeah?"

"Riku?"

"Yeah?" He said again, irately.

"I'm on my way. I'm bringing some Burger Land." He said, making Riku immediately stick his tongue out in disgust.

"Super." He choked out. "See you in an hour." He said before immediately shutting the phone to escape any chance of his uncle wanting a 'heart to heart.'

&$&$&$&$&$&$

"Sora, are you sure this is okay? " Roxas asked, trying to pull back on Sora's hand, to get him to keep walking farther down the street. "They don't even know me. How do I know I'm not impeding?"

Sora gave a final tug, pulling Roxas closer to him, and wrapping his arm the other's waist. "Roxas, you don't know these people like I do. They impede on themselves." He said as he walked down the path to the house Roxas was trying desperately to escape entering. "These two are probably the worst people on earth to hook together, because most of the time, they don't talk to each other!" Sora stopped at the door, pulling the dirty-blonde- haired boy around to look at him. "Trust me, if anyone's impeding on anything, they're impeding on themselves. Kay?"

Roxas sulked, but nodded regardless, moving a little behind Sora as he knocked on the door, firmly. They waited silently, or as silently as they could with Sora chastising Roxas for trying to shrink further and further behind him. It wasn't that Roxas was shy around new people; he was actually very outgoing, but he remembered these two when they were in high school. They weren't precisely the friendliest of people.

It was several moments before the door opened, and Roxas was about to start appealing to Sora that there was a lovely store just around the corner that Sora could rob if he felt like it, but the door opened, causing Roxas to clutch Sora's hand intensely.

"Just fucking drop it, you prick! It's not important!" Roxas heard from behind the cracked door, causing his grip to tighten on the hand he was holding. There wasn't a response from whoever was yelling at whom, but the door opened all the way. In the door frame, there stood a tallish man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked hacked off, cold, and withdrawn until his eyes landed on Sora and Roxas.

"Sora," He asked, "Who is this?"

"Roxas, this is Cloud." He said, giving a sharp tug on his arm to pull in out into view. He stepped inside the house, pushing Cloud aside as if he owned the place. Down around in the kitchen, he could see a head-full of long dark brown tresses. "The grim looking one is Leon." He said, pointing to the man in the chair, who turned around to regard Sora with a glare, until he saw his partner. "Leon, Cloud, this is Roxas, my boyfriend." Sora finally said, spinning around so they could both get a good look at Roxas.

"It's nice to meet you." Leon said with a slight bow of his head. He turned to Sora instantly after he said his nicety, though, giving him a small, steely glare, which, of course, Sora took no notice of. "What are you doing here?" He demanded, standing up and waving at the chair as an invitation that Roxas could have it, an offering Roxas took with only too much pleasure.

"We were bored…" Sora said with a shrug, when he caught Roxas' meaningful stare he amended leisurely. "Okay, I was bored. My mom ticked me off so I grabbed Roxas and came over here. I figured it'd be a good bonding experience." He said, throwing his arm around Cloud's shoulder.

Cloud huffed, pushing the young brunette off of him. "Bonding." He scoffed, rolling his eyes and leaving the room with a cold glare to Leon. All three occupants of the kitchen were silent for a moment, listening as Cloud threw himself onto what two of the three knew to be the couch.

The tall brunette sighed, irately. "Don't mind him." Leon said, waving his hand in the general direction that Cloud had walked off in. "He's mad at me… again."

"Why?" Sora asked, sitting down next to his boyfriend, who once again shot his hand out to grab Sora's hand.

"Hell, if I know." Leon said with a shout. "He's very in touch with his estrogen today." He said, banging on a kitchen wall, to emphasize his point.

"Take a sugar frosted fuck." They heard from the living room.

"He's very pleasant too." Leon deadpanned, leaning up against the wall he had just hit, and folding his arms over his chest.

Sora snickered. "What did you do?" He asked, watching Leon's face as he rolled his eyes expressively.

"What did your mom do?" He countered, refusing to give anything up, without having fair payment.

Sora shrugged, noncommittally, acting as if what he was about to say didn't bother him. "She's hired detectives to sniff out every gay person on the planet, so as to save me from becoming one."

Leon glanced at Roxas, who was sitting next to Sora in a very uncomfortable manner. He looked closely at their interlaced fingers, and smirked. "I can see it's working."

Sora nodded, giving Leon a calculating look. "Now, what did you do?" He asked giving the other brunette a scrutinizing look. Roxas looked between the two, watching the way they interacted so easily. He never would have thought that kind, sweet Sora could make himself at home with the not so kind, not so sweet Leon and Cloud.

"I asked to meet his parents."Leon growled.

"And he's mad at this?" Sora laughed, looking at Leon as if he had suddenly gotten a sense of humor.

"I think he sees it as a commitment thing." Leon said loudly. "He has commitment issues."

There was a 'thunk' on the wall Leon was leaning against, causing his to jump and glare at the wall in betrayal. After that, they all heard stomping, and finally, an, "I do not!" from the disgruntled Cloud.

Leon returned his gaze to them, "He does." He said with a nod, leaning back against the wall before jumping again when there was another 'thunk.'

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Riku ran outside when he heard a car pull into his driveway. There was only one person it could be, because if it were his uncle he would gladly sit in his seat and do nothing. But his uncle had another forty-five minutes before he arrive, leaving only Axel. Axel, who had better of brought his food or he was never speaking to him again.

Riku stopped short however, when an odd car was parked in his driveway, instead of the one Axel had used to pick him up in that day…however long ago it was. It was white and odd looking. But inside, he could make out the profile of Axel, who was rummaging around in the passenger seat, so he patiently waited, leaning against his shut door for support.

The redhead finally noticed him from the corner of his eye, he grabbed something, and then threw the door open. "Hey." Axel yelled as he clambered out of a car, not the one he had picked Riku up in. He shut the door with his free hand. He jogged up to the Riku, turning around when he noticed that the lunar-haired boy couldn't stop staring at the car. He smirked a little, pulling his keys out of his pocket and pressing the lock button. He heard the locks go down…

'beep beep.'

Riku jumped as the alarm letting Axel know the doors were locked went off. When the redhead began laughing he turned around and punched his shoulder, muttering something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like, 'jerk,' to the other. He sighed, looking at the car one more time, before he asked, "Whose car?"

Axel shrugged. "Mom's."

"Who did the other car belong to?" Riku asked confused, hoping beyond hope that it hadn't been stolen.

"Dad."

Riku nodded, noticing the light black jacket that was tied around Axel's waist. "I see you have your coat." Riku laughed, pulling on the light knot that kept the jacket on his non-existent hips.

He slapped Riku's hands away from him, glaring at the younger with his poison-green eyes. "Yeah. I'm trying my best not to become an icicle."He held out a white paper bag. "Here. Salmon infested sushi, no wasabi, or ginger, and your icky miso soup."

Riku smirked, putting his hand on the doorknob behind him. "I like you a whole lot better than I did earlier."

"Oh, good." Axel clapped, unenthusiastically. "I'm climbing up in the world."

"Yes, indeed." He looked up at Axel from under his bangs, a calculating smile. "Wanna come inside for a few minutes?" He asked, pushing the door to his house open invitingly.

Axel looked behind him, taking in the homely, lived-in appearance of Riku's house. Looking back at Riku, he nodded. "Yeah." He answered, following Riku into his house, and closing the door behind them.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Namine sat on Marluxia's couch, reading threw on of his botanical books, while he flipped through channels in a very bored fashion.

"Jason…how could…"

"Come on, Patrick! We need…"

"Now if you'll watch how careful I am with this…"

"If you call now you can…"

'click'

Marluxia turned the television off with the grim expression. He rearranged himself on the couch, scooting closer to his fiancé on the other side of his couch. She took no visual notice of him, only flipping the page of her book with interest. He sighed and put his head on her shoulder, looking at the way his hair fanned over her white dress, and pale skin. Still she did nothing.

He sighed, pushing her with his shoulder. "Have you told your parents?" he asked, picking his head off her, and wrapping his arm around her shoulder instead.

"No." Came her clipped reply, as she turned the page to her book.

"Why?" He asked, looking at her as if he had just been betrayed.

"I don't want to listen to them." She said, gently, setting her book down on the coffee table so she could look at him fully.

"Think they'll throw a fit?" He asked, hoping that that was the only reason that show wouldn't want to tell her parents. He had pink hair after all.

"Oh, trust me, Marluxia. I know they will." She said, with a humorless laugh. "They'll blow a gasket and then lock me in a room in a far away place where the only one who knows me name is my bed." She said, with an unhappy sigh.

He nodded, giving her shoulders a comforting squeeze. "Are you going to tell them?" He asked, worriedly. He was fine with her not wanting to tell them now, but he didn't want to deal with the hassle they would go through if they were just married whenever Namine came home one day.

She looked into his eyes, practically reading his thoughts. She smiled encouragingly. "One of these days." She said, with a noncommittal shrug.

"Why don't you run away?" He asked with a laugh. "You're over here enough. It'd be a sure fire way to get away from everyone you never want to see again."

"There are days I really want to." She said with a sigh. "It's just…they know where I'd go." She seethed, her temper turning suddenly.

"Let's move." He shrugged.

"Just like that?"

"Yeah. Just like that."

"How?" Namine asked skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest challengingly.

"It'll be easy." He said, wrapping his arms around her shoulder. He leaned close to her. "I'll sell this house. Look around a few places for a new one, places far way from here. Then we'd move. I could continue in botany and you could go to school in a local college for you degree." He said with a smile pulling her closer to him.

"When did you become so compulsive?" She asked, giving him a playful shove.

"I'm not compulsive." He said defensively. "I'm trying to make you happy."

"That's sweet, Marly." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder, with a happy smile. She wasn't worried about her engagement to Marluxia anymore. She knew this wasn't a mistake. She snuggled into him. "That's very sweet."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Axel stayed for a good thirty minutes, watching part of Days of Our Lives with him. He had sat on the floor in front of Riku's chair the entire time, and had become Riku's personal slave, maybe all too willingly as he asked for his cigarettes, a drink of water, and the remote he had left on the table on his way to greet Axel and his weird car. Of course in return, fifteen minutes into his stay he had sat straight up and proclaimed,_ 'Goddamn, I am starving!_' It was the most bizarre thing Riku had ever seen, and then he had proceeded to eat a good half of Riku's sushi in a heartbeat.

Then it had come time when Riku said that Axel had to go soon if he wanted to go see Demyx anytime tonight. Axel had agreed solemnly, pushing himself off the floor, pulling Riku to his feet as well. _'You have to play mister host.'_ He had said with a tug.

Thus they were outside, Axel with his light jacked hanging over his form like a drape, and Riku freezing his ass off because he didn't grab shoes or a coat, so he was out in the freezing fucking cold with a long-sleeve shirt, his skin tight jeans, and his socks. It wasn't very conducive to staying warm.

"Thanks for inviting me in." Axel said, laughing under his breath at the way the younger was shivering.

Riku scowled at him, pushing him off of the step he was standing on. "Thanks for eating half of my sushi, you bastard." He said the chattering teeth.

"I was hungry." He said, rubbing his stomach, happily.

"You do need to eat more." Riku said, running his hand over Axel's bony ribs. "I swear your skin and bones."

"Yeah." Axel said, keeping his laughter under control, so Riku wouldn't find out that he was ticklish. It was bad enough that Namine knew. "I've gotta get going. Demyx'll have my head if I don't get there soon." He said, taking a step off the second step of the other's porch.

"Thanks for the food." Riku said. "I owe you."

Axel smirked a bit, jumping back onto the second step to place a kiss on his freezing lips, now that they were on the same level of height. "No you don't." He said puling away.

Riku nodded, waving him off as he jogged to his car, unlocking the door, and slipping in to drive away. As soon as the car was out of sight, Riku slipped back into his house. Closing the door so he was in the safety of his house, Riku sighed. "I really do like that." He said, shaking his head shamefully at how quickly he was beginning to enjoy any time spent with Axel.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Axel opened the apartment door to, "Zexy! I can't find my scrubby pad!" He laughed at his friend, walking furthing into the apartment, making sure to take off his shoes, so he was not the blame of the next dirt spot Deymx found.

From the living room he heard the annoyed shout of, "Did you look under the sink?"

"Did you look in the oven?" He asked, that being the most bizarre place in his mind, so most likely the place where Demyx would leave his scrubby pad. He walked into their living room, where his favorite, volitale accountant was seething, and rubbing his forehead in irritation.

"The oven! That's where it is!" Demyx called in delight. The two living room occupants shook their heads, and Axel sat down across from Zexion, who was in the recliner, on the couch.

"Of course!" Zexion scowled. " Why didn't I think of that? That's where I leave my scrubby pad all the time." Zexion growled, shaking his head when they heard the squeezy oven open.

"Don't be mean." Axel smirked throwing Zexion's bottle of water at him, which Zexion caught deftly. The lavender haired man glared at his television, which wasn't even on, so Axel joined him, throwing himself back onto the couch to immitate Zexion.

"Hard not to be." He huffed.

Axel made a sad face for him. "Are the people being mean to you?"

"They are always mean to me." Zexion growled. "They breathe in and out all day!"

"I think that job has made you really volatile." Axel said. "In my professional opinion, of course."

Zexion sucked in a deep breath, to tell Axel off, but as soon ashe did he heard a big bang from the kitchen. "Yeah." He bit at Axel, standing up from his seat and heading towards the kitchen with an angry stomp. "Demyx!" He barked in the hallway. "What are you doing?"

"It was an accident, Zexy. I don't think I broke anything." Came Demyx's frazzled reply.

Axel made himself comfortable on the couch, preparing for a small scolding from Zexion, but what he got was Zexion coming back into the licing room, with a blank face. "Axel, can I beg you to go home?" Zexion asked, through clenched teeth.

Axel started at his appearance, more than used to Zexion's hot temper, but he usually, was very vocal about it. To see him trying to control it was, honestly, a little disconcerting. But regardless, this was his house, and when asked to leave, Axel wasn't about to argue, so he nodded. He started away from the living room, Zexion right behind him. On the way passed the kitchen he saw Demyx sitting on the floor with Zexion's ten-key, pressing the on button repeatedly, but Axel saw no light from it. He continued walking out, Zexion turning into the kitchen with a deep sigh.

Axel could only hope that this wasn't Demyx's last string.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Riku! Open the door for me!" Xemnas said, kicking the door with his boot. Riku hurried from his place in front of the television to the front door, where Xemnas was still kicking on the door. He was quick to throw it open, if only so his brother didn't wake up again. When it was completely open, he glared at his uncle, who pushed passed him with a quick, "Thank you."

His uncle went into the kitchen, and thus, Riku followed to make sure that he didn't mess up any of Aerith's hard work from this morning. He sat in his usual place at the table, watching his uncle do whatever the hell it was that he was doing, Riku couldn't see really.

Amidst his randomness, Xemnas decided to strike up a spontaneous conversation, choosing, of course, to make it the most awkward he could think of. "How are you and Axel Wise getting along?"

"Great. Why?" Riku said with a forced shrug, ignoring his thumping heart at the mention of his name.

"Curious. I know you've had lots of time with him."

"I suppose he isn't as bad as I originally thought he was." Riku said, shakily. "We've talked a lot. He's actually really… caring?" He asked, grasping for a word that would describe Axel best.

"I'm sure he is." Xemnas replied, though he obviously didn't believe him. "He seems the type to help turtles across the road." He snapped a cupboard door shut, going to a different one, and throwing it open.

"I thought you would be happy that I was getting along with him."

"I'm thrilled that you're getting along with him. I just don't think it's a good idea to get all chummy with him." The old man said decisively.

"He's a good guy." Riku defended.

"You're saying this about the guy who threw you against a locker?" Xemnas scoffed. "Riku, use some sense."

"That was my fault." Riku said guiltily, bowing his head down, as he finally admitted to himself that the reason Axel had done a lot of things was really because of him.

"How?"

"I punched him first." He snapped.

Xemnas turned around to glare at him. "It doesn't mean it's your fault."

"Yeah, it really kind of does." Riku said in a voice that showed his uncle he thought it should be rather obvious.

"Riku, don't argue with me. I'm not in the mood." Xemnas snapped, opening the bag he had brought with him and pulling out three sandwiches and four packages of fries. He gave one of each to Riku, and then took more in his hands, saying, "I'm going to go take your brother some food."

"He won't eat." Riku said, sullenly.

Xemnas continued on his mission, regardless, stopping to smack Riku on the back of his head. "Stop arguing." He growled, making Riku rub his head, while glaring at the older man. Xemnas went on his way to Sephiroth's bedroom.

When Riku was sure his Uncle was in his brother's room, he threw his food away, going to wet some paper towels so he could cover his tracks.

Later that night, Riku went through the house locking the drawers like Aerith had told him to try. He had trouble locking the first few, not acquainted to locking his drawers, but after that he went threw it with ease, working threw the house to lock every thing with a sharp object in it, and even a few without. And while he was in the spare room, locking away the scissors and construction knifes that Aerith used for her sewing, Xemnas crept from the living room to the kitchen with his brief case. Setting it on the table, and opening it, he then went to the fridge and stole all of Sephiroth's tranquilizers.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: So, this was supposed to have something in it that's supposed to be in the next chapter, but all this shit happened…and I was like, yeah…This chapter is gonna be waaaay too long. So it's split in two. Ha! I'll hopefully have the next chapter out in the next two weeks, and then you all can slay and/or love me.

Have fun…I'll be slaving away working on the next chapter. le sigh

InnocentGuilt


	19. My Love

A/N: Okay, so perhaps you've noticed that I didn't reply to the signed reviews, like I normally do, but my laptop and internet are both the gayest thing ON EARTH! When I try to reply to your wonderful, glee-inducing, reviews my internet will cut letters out or it won't let me type certain letters and I end up smacking my keyboard in frustration. I've done it before…trust me. So, it's not that I don't like talking to you, because that's what I feel like I'm doing everything you review me, it's just that I would like not to break my laptop before I've even owned it for half a year. I'm trying to work out the bugs to make it work better…but technology is proving to be smarter than me still, so it may be a while before I actually try to reply to your reviews. But I still love the lengthy ones and I love the funniness of them, so keep reviewing me!

Also, this chapter wasn't beta'ed. I haven't been able to find my beta. She got a new e-mail address and when I typed it in and sent it, yahoo sent it back to me. I was like…shit! So if you notice any errors tell me…I promise I'll fix it.

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_My love, I'm outside of your window with my radio. – Niki FM by Hawthorn Heights_

There was a crash downstairs. That was what originally startled Riku out of his sleep that night after the Days of Our Lives marathon had finished at eleven. Then, after the initial shock, though his heart was still hammering at the sudden sound in the dead silence of the night, he could hear footsteps, loud footsteps, echoing along with the occasional thump, as whatever was downstairs ran into the walls.

Riku sat tiredly in his bed, crinkling his eyebrows, his hand nervously throwing his hair behind his ear, straining his ear for any sound from whatever it was downstairs. Cautiously, he crept to his doorway, not noticing the cold that immediately shot up his spine from the cold winter air that had seeped into the floor. There was a sharp 'crack' against the cheap wood, on his way to his door, and Riku stopped, listening as it went further down his hall without another pause, the heavy footsteps echoing loudly through his house until there was a loud thud in the hallway.

He plucked up his courage from his stomach, where not butterflies, but moths had been munching on said debatable strength, and grasped the cold doorknob firmly in his hand. He took a deep breath and pulled his door open, causing it to bang loudly against his room's wall. He stepped into his hallway, daintily, closing his eyes for a brief second before he gazed upon whomever it was causing such a ruckus in his home.

What he saw nearly made his heart stop.

"Mom?" He breathed, tears pooling in his eyes, as he looked at the masses of thick silver hair pooled on the floor, resting over her delicate form, hiding her face from him. His breath caught in his throat, and distantly he heard the faint noise of running water from somewhere in the house, as she twitched, her shoulders heaving. She was crying. "Priti?" He stepped forward, eagerly, unbelieving of the sight before him. He stopped however when she heaved a pathetic, whimper, her fingers gripping her hair tightly, pulling and tugging as the name, "Larxene," was torn from her lips

"What…the…?" A loud ringing rushed passed his ears, and he had to close his eyes at the sudden headache the made an appearance behind his temples. His body seized up for a moment, all of his muscles clenching, ending with him nearly stumbling to his ass. When again he opened his eyes, still in his room, the door still closed, though everything was hazy, and it was still cold around him, his mind seemed clearer. He shook his head, wildly sending his hair, glinting brightly in the moonlight streaming through his window, around him. He opened his door, and peered into the dark corridor. "Seph?" He stepped into the hallway, peering intensely at the stream of light coming from under the upstairs bathroom door. "Sephiroth?" He called louder than before, he walked quickly down the hallway, halfway to the bathroom, when he stopped dead in his tracks.

Turning on his heel, he made his way to the staircase, taking the stairs two at a time in his decent to the kitchen, where his brother's tranquilizers were. He ran quickly down the hallway, taking the first entrance to the left into the kitchen. He didn't immediately notice the drawer that was pulled from its track, the box smashed on the ground with knives and kitchen scissors lying scattered across the floor. No, he only dashed instantly to the fridge, pulling the door open, looking where the eggs would normally be, but now his brother's tranquilizers should be. They_ should_ be there…but they weren't. Riku's heart skipped a dreadfully needed beat, as he crouched down to look around in the door, but he found none of the syringes that carried the clear tranquilizers.

He rushed to his cell phone, which he had left on the kitchen counter after his uncle had left; dialing Aerith's number with shaking fingers. When he had the phone pressed to his ear, the ringing becoming incessant in him mind as movement completely stopped upstairs, he couldn't focus on anything but the thought: Aerith! Pick up! But she didn't. He got her voicemail right as his eyes landed on the shattered drawer lying empty on the ground, with the knives and scissors scattered across the floor. His heart began hammering harder on his ribcage, harder than it ever had in his life as he yelled into the speaker, "Please, Aerith! Come back! I can't find his tranquilizers!" he clicked the phone shut, not bothering to leave any name with the message as he was sure she knew exactly who it was and whom it was he was referring to. He dashed upstairs again, throwing the phone away from him, without thought in his haste to reach his brother.

He grabbed the bathroom knob, his body slamming into the actual door with the momentum he had built up. He lingered there with his ear pressed to the door, hoping for some sort of noise, but he heard none. Twisting the knob harshly, though it gave willingly beneath his grip, he shoved the door open, a plume of steam exiting quickly as he did so. There, in the bathtub, fully clothed in his jeans and black button-down shirt, adorned with his old necklace, and a few rings that he had loved so much before Angel's disease, sitting in a foot of scalding water, was Sephiroth. His eyes were closed, and his breathing even; Riku would have mistaken him for asleep if it hadn't been for the tightness of his lips, which he always lost in his sleep.

"Sephiroth?" He called shakily from his position at the door. He looked around frantically for a knife or sharp object of some sort, indicating to whether something had happened to him or not, but he found no trace of anything in the room, save to his brother, and the hairbrush resting on the sink counter.

When his gaze returned to Sephiroth, his brother's cat-like eyes were open, and staring at him with the same harsh intensity that he had become accustomed to as a small child. His mouth opened, the thin line moving bleakly, the lines that had almost faded from his face when Angel's disease had taken over his mind, returning with a vengeance as he said, in the same smooth and cold tone, "Riku, it is unwise to disturb a madman while he bathes."

Riku was taken aback for moments on end, too speechless to retaliate. When he did gather his scattered thoughts, he took a hesitant step foreword, his eyes still darting around the room for anything sharp that his brother might be using. His eyes landed Sephiroth's soaking clothes. "It would help if you took your clothes off." He said, taking a step towards his brother, as if to begin taking off the clothing for him.

The older reeled away from him, glaring at him with poison in his eyes. "These are the clothes I want to be buried in." He snarled.

Riku stopped in his tracks, his breath refusing to release from his lungs. "Sephiroth?" He choked out, his tongue seeming too big for his mouth.

"It's becoming much too tiresome trying to parry Death." Sephiroth told him, emphasizing the point by pulling an arm from the water, resting it on the ledge of the tub, to press his head into his hand. "I've had my fun, and now I am simply a burden." He pulled out a rubber duck from the water, giving the poor yellow toy a hard squeeze, expelling a pitiful quack from its mouth.

Riku watched the water slide down onto the floor from Sephiroth's arm, feeling helpless as it pooled into a puddle. He looked back up at his brother, who was making the duck dance before his eyes with a twisted fascination. "Seph, you're not a burden."

"Do not lie to me!" He hollered, his face screwing up in anger as he lunged towards the side of the tub, splashing more water over the side of the tub in the wave he created. Riku took a step back from the hostility in the words. "I'm not stupid. I know what dealing with me has done to what's left of this family." He growled, his hands gripping the tub, until his knuckles turned white.

"Sephiroth…" Riku pleaded.

Sephiroth leaned closer, rubber duck forgotten in the water. "Life isn't worth the effort, not worth the helplessness." He said his voice so low Riku nearly didn't hear him.

He was shaking, as he said, "Sephiroth…you're having an attack…" in a hopeful voice, nodding his head as if to reassure himself.

Sephiroth gave to notion not even one second's consideration, before he said, "Perhaps…but perhaps this has all been an elaborate plan towards my death, my impending doom, my…self-destruction." A maniacal smile spreading across his lips at the last part of his declaration. He stepped out of the tub, water slopping everywhere onto the floor, as he took the short steps need to reach his little brother. "Trust me. It is for the better, Riku." He said as he grabbed the back of Riku's neck, taking any will-power that Riku may have had, as his neck was grasped harshly, immobilizing him as he was shoved out and the door closing and locking behind him.

"Sephiroth! Don't!" He yelled as he threw himself at the door, trying with all his might to get the door open with brute strength. "Sephiroth!" He ran from one side of the hall to the opposite, away from the bathroom, then afterwards he ran towards the door again.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The paramedics arrived with Aerith in the back of the truck, not even ten minutes later. Riku vaguely heard the truck rumble into the driveway, and them get out. He did hear, quite clearly, the voice of Aerith as she called for him, for Sephiroth…for anyone. He didn't reply, and even if he had, he didn't think he would have been heard. His voice was so raw from yelling for Sephiroth. Eventually, though, Aerith found him upstairs, leaning against the door, his hand holding the locked knob. She yelled for the paramedics to bring something heavy, something they could break down a door with. Then she leaned next to him, pressing her hand to his forehead.

"Riku?" She asked gently, her hand coming to his cheek to make him look at her. "What happened?"

He shook his head, everything that came to mind being fuzzy and gapped. "I don't know." He whispered.

The men came upstairs with something Riku didn't recognize, but looked like it could double as some sort of steel statue. Aerith had to pull him away from the door, so he wouldn't get hurt from the blast that ensued after they were away. The door was knocked off its hinges after two hits with the steel statue, and it fell to the floor with a loud bang before they rushed in.

Riku didn't go after them, not even when Aerith left him to help the men in the bathroom. He stayed on the floor, where Aerith had dragged and left him, his eyes blank of any emotion at all. Even as they passed him again, carrying Sephiroth between them in a cradle of arms and effort. Aerith stopped at the head of the staircase, letting the men juggle Sephiroth to safety, and looked back to Riku's still immobile form.

"Come on, Riku." She said, gently, her hand resting on the banister as her eyes watched him worriedly. "We need to get him to the hospital."

Lethargically, he said, "I don't want to go." And it was true. He didn't want to move. He had banged on that door until he was damn near ready to pass out, and his brother had still done whatever it was he had done. It hurt; his brother's rejection of life, and in a round about way, Riku himself, it was agonizing. Sure, he had been telling himself that his brother's death was immanent, but in the end it didn't make it hurt any less when his brother tried to escape life by his own means.

"Riku, why…?" She walked towards him with sure steps, leaning down by him again to look directly into his dazed and tired eyes. He was sure she could see it again. He was sure it was more pronounced now…Whatever it was she saw, he was sure it was only getting worse. Spreading from his eyes to cover his face in a mask that soon not even he would be able to see himself through.

"You get him to the hospital." He begged, pushing her away from him weakly. "I just…can't."

But she didn't leave. Instead, she asked, "Are you okay?" in her smooth, soothing voice.

"I'm fine." He said, coolly, snaking his way away from her, and towards the staircase, which would lead him to his cell phone, and to a man who could take his mind off of this nightmare. Still on all fours, he could hear her get up to her feet, and follow after him, keeping her cautious green eyes on him.

"You looked…"_ scared…tired…cold…beaten_.

"I'm fine!" He snapped, feeling heat prick his eyes, and tears worm their way out of his eyes.

He wasn't fine at all.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The other end of the line rang endlessly; it seemed to Riku, as he held his cell phone to his ear, sitting in the hallway, away from the kitchen, and the mess of knives, which enraged the butterflies in his stomach. His fingers tapped impatiently on his chin, as he chewed his bottom lip, hoping, praying for him to answer his cell. He feared that the other wouldn't answer his phone. He knew that people only magically woke from the dead of sleep to save the…savee in the movies, but he had to talk to him. I made him feel stable.

_Ring…_

'Hang the phone up.' He thought as he lit a cigarette.

_Ring…_

'He's not going to pick up.'

_Ring…_

Taking a drag from his cigarette, his nasty little voice continued, 'He's not Prince Phil-' "Hey?" Axel's voice broke his internal dialogue, and firmly startled him out of his half-coma.

He sat up straighter against the wall, exhaling the smoke quickly; his heart thumping at how happy he was that Axel had woken up, how happy he was that he had answered his phone. He wet his lips, excitedly, tasting the cigarette smoke on him, "Yeah. Axel?"

"Mhm." Came a sleepy reply from the other end.

He smiled, and leaned back against his cold, ungiving wall, his head resting against the sheetrock. "It's Riku." He said his voice thick from keeping his tears from falling.

"Hey Riku." He heard the slight incline in Axel's voice, going from groggy to only a slightly worn tone.

"Hi."

"Hey, what's wrong? It's four in the morning." Axel asked. Riku could just hear the disappointment in his voice as he looked at his alarm clock.

"I wanted to talk to someone." Riku shrugged, biting his lip hard, as the reason why he was calling at four in the morning preyed on his mind. "My…my brother went to the hospital today." He whimpered, shamefully, pressing his forehead into his palm. He had been ready for this, damn it! Preparing himself ever since Sephiroth had found out about his disease.

"Oh. Man, that's rough." Riku nodded, even though he knew Axel couldn't see it. Vaguely, he heard a door slamming in the background, but he paid it no heed, as the redhead continued. "Where are you?"

"At my house." He said with obvious disdain, glaring at the hallway as if it were the ninth level of hell. He kicked at the nothingness that was on the ground, managing only to scramble the dirt on the floor around.

"Why didn't you go with…?"

"I don't like hospitals." Riku interjected, vehemently, cutting him off, completely.

"Okay. Okay." Axel said, soothingly, calming the smoker down considerably. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure." Riku muttered, putting his cigarette out on the wooden floor of his hallway. "I can't…think. It was so weird."

"What happened?"

"It just was. I woke up…and I…I don't even think I was really awake." He said, pitiably as his little nightmare was replayed in his mind. "I went to the door, and I was so sure my mom had fallen in the middle of the night." Riku told him, taking step by step, in his mind that the he had in his dream.

"That's…odd." Axel encouraged when Riku quieted.

"Yeah." Riku agreed with a hazy mind. "But then I woke up on the floor, and my brother was going to my bathroom. I went to go get his tranquilizers and…Axel, they weren't there. They were gone." Riku grabbed his hair as it ran over his mind again and again. "Then I went back up to the bathroom…and I went in, expecting to be dealing with another of his episodes. But he was lying in the bathtub, completely clothed."

"Talk about weird."

"But he wasn't out of it. He was completely lucid."

"What do you mean?" Axel asked, confusion lacing his every syllable.

"He wasn't having a fit." Riku said. "He said he was just tired of living."

Axel listened intently to the quiet tone of Riku, his heart going out for him, as Riku relived the past hour over and over. "What did he do?" When the silence from Riku had spanned for more than a minute.

"He threw me out of the bathroom and locked the door." He shrugged, reminiscing, and focusing on the pain he had forgotten about in his left shoulder. He rotated his neck experimentally, still imagining the stiff feeling in his muscles from when his brother had grabbed him.

"Is he okay?" He dutifully asked.

"I don't know." Riku shrugged, finally feeling the numbness settle over him, as the memories finally left him alone. "I didn't want…anything to do with it. I was so empty." He breathed.

"Empty?"

"I felt…listless."

"Listless, huh?" Riku could hear the light smirk that was surely on the redhead's face.

Riku couldn't share in the light mood he was trying to cast, though. "My mind was so slow to comprehend everything that went on after I stopped trying to get back into the bathroom." He said emotionlessly. "I couldn't…think. My brain might as well have said, 'Fuck you, I'm on vacation.' I was so lethargic." He said as his head lolled to the side as if to prove his point.

They were silent for minutes afterward, in which time, Riku thought that maybe he should let Axel go back to sleep, but it was comforting to know that if he needed to re-vent his frustration, the redhead would be there to hear him out all over again. He listened to the breathing that Axel was heaving into the speaker, with vacant eyes, having relit a cigarette and extinguished it already, before the redhead began speaking again. Riku was sure it was to say goodnight.

"Riku?" He asked.

"Hmm?"

There was a pause, where Riku could only look at the ceiling bored out of his mind. After a bit, Riku was sure that Axel had fallen asleep on the phone, but then, "Open your door."

Riku chuckled, perplexedly. "W-hat?" He choked out.

"Open. Your door." He repeated in a firmer voice.

Riku instantaneously hopped off the floor and padded down the hall. He unlocked his door cautiously, his heart beating rapidly at the strange request, as he turned the deadbolt. Slowly, bracing himself against the cold that would be waiting on the other side, he opened the door, wrapping his arms instantly around his stomach , though he still tried to keep his cell phone against his ear, to shield himself from the gust of wind that blew the door open.

There, in his open doorway, with nothing but his light, black, jacket on, was Axel. His hair was windblown, and tangled from being asleep. His entire face was red from the biting gusts that cut across the human skin like whips. But he was smiling down at Riku's shocked face as he said, "Hey."

Riku heard it echo through his phone, into his ear, which Axel had spoken into. He watched, with his jaw open, as Axel shut his cell phone, but he didn't, still much too shocked to do anything but look at the other. The other's mere presence made the lunar-haired teen's heart inflated to astronomical sizes.

"Thought you might want some company for a bit." Axel said, with a casual shrug, reaching out the take Riku's phone away from his ear.

The contact made Riku jump a little, a jolt running over him completely, but he still stared at Axel in shock, his eyes running over the entire six foot five length of his body to make sure of something only his mind could comprehend. He touched the other's arm, making sure he was real, and that he hadn't fallen asleep on the phone himself, but when he felt the cold jacket, practically frozen from in the icy cold, he knew it wasn't a dream, and that Axel was indeed in front of him at four-thirty in the morning, offering nothing more imposing than his company.

Riku smiled, sure that the other could hear his heart beating happily inside his ribcage. "Come inside?" He offered, his hand held out for Axel to take.

"Okay." The redhead said quickly, eager to get out of the cold and into the warm-ish house.

Once the door was shut behind Axel, Riku spun on his heel, rushing to close the short distance between them. He nearly bowled Axel over, with shock as he threw his arms around the other's neck, pressing tightly to the other, but then Axel wrapped his arms around his waist, looking down at him with confused eyes. He didn't wait to explain anything, to explain that he was just so pleased that the other had walked all the way to his home to stave off his loneliness; he only pulled Axel down to his level, melding their lips together before the redhead could stop to ask questions.

"What are you doing?" Axel asked, raggedly, pulling away from the other's addicting lips when his jacket was unzipped and pushed off his shoulders, following right behind it, his t-shirt, when he pulled his lips away. He watched his silver hair glint in whatever dim light the hallway had, as Riku pressed light kisses to his jaw.

"I want you to touch me." Riku said, just as breathless, just as hurriedly, moving Axel's hands under his tank top, and shuddering at the warmth that spread like fire at the simple touch of his fingertips. His hands moved further up on their own accord, and after this Riku curled further into him, his hands wrapping around the redhead's neck, and his head resting on Axel's shoulder.

"Riku…" Axel sighed, pulling Riku away from his shoulder, but keeping his hands where they had stopped on his sides. "I can't just fuck you, if that's what you want." He said, giving the other a gentle shake.

"What do you mean you can't just fuck me?" Riku asked; hurt shining in his crystal eyes as they met Axel's poison green. "You've done it before!" He ran his hand through the red, tangled tresses that had fallen over the other's bony shoulder, provocatively, watching the way the dim light glinted off of it.

Long fingers wrapped around his wrist, having left its position on his side to keep the wretch from using his own body against him. "Riku, it was before I knew you." He whispered, hoping to reason with him before he made a mistake he would regret. "I can't just stave off my feelings for you. I can't just use you, or let you let yourself be used." He let the pale wrist go, watching it fall the other's side so he didn't have to meet his gaze; so he didn't feel guilty. "Even if it's to forget tonight."

But Riku wouldn't let go so easily. He brought his hand to the Axel's slightly freckled cheek; still cool from being outside despite the fact that everywhere else on his body was scalding hot from the interaction between them. When the other had enough courage to look at him, he whispered, "It's why I'm asking for you, and not my corner." He nodded his eyes boring into unsure depths. He kissed Axel firmly, stopping, resting his forehead on the stooping redhead's. "I just w-…I need you to touch me." He said again, placing one of Axel's long fingered hands back on his side.

Moments, hundreds of moments passed by them as they stared at each other, clear blue begging luminous green to submit and give into what they both wanted. Then, he did. He pushed Riku against the wall, attaching his lips to Riku's in an attempt to rob him of his very breath. Hands moved under the thin black tank top, and smaller ones raked down the broad expanse of burning white flesh, digging nails in and dragging to mark the taller, to claim him. The redhead gave small whimpers of pain, pushing the younger harder into the wall, causing a gasp to break apart their kiss. As soon as the kiss was broken, Axel was immediately on his neck, erupting moans, sharp and loud, from Riku's lips as his hands wove into his wild hair, keeping him where he wanted him, and furthering the tight warmth in his stomach.

Axel disrobed him of his shirt, lips leaving his collarbone only long enough for the fabric to come from his head before he threw it down the hall, and, shivering in the cold air that rushed over his heated skin, Riku pulled him closer, if possible, feeling the other's hard member pressing into his navel. His eyes shifted to the ceiling, gasping as the erotic feeling in abdomen spread over him, and he wrenched Axel back up to kiss him again, his tongue pushing into the other's mouth, wanting, demanding that the other return play. Both sets of hands wound into each other's tresses, pulling, caressing, demanding that they further what they were doing, as Riku kicked off the wall, pushing Axel into his kitchen, banging walls, doorways, counters, before Riku was pushed onto the table, all cups that had previously rested on it, shattering loudly against the tile floor the were pushed onto.

Axel stood over the lunar-haired smoker, his hooded eyes raking hungrily over his exposed chest, heaving from their kiss, and abdomen, his fingers trailing not long after his eyes, until they rested at the hem of his sleeping pants. He sent his eyes back to Riku's, searching the wild, dilated eyes for permission. Smaller hands covered his, helping his fingers curl under the elastic hem of his gray pants and beginning to pull them down before he stopped movement all together. Eyes still glued to Riku's he pulled on the other's hands, having to twist his around to get them between his fingers, until he had Riku in an upright position, sitting on the table with his legs swinging over the edge. The redhead took the other's face in his hands, running his thumb over the bottom of his parted lips. When Riku breathed out, Axel could feel his breath rush over the skin of his thumb, as a smaller hand once again wrapped around his wrist, the one that was brushing pink lips with its thumb, and brought his thumb into his mouth, wrapping his sinful lips around the appendage, and rubbing the nail with the flat of his tongue.

He brought Axel's hand away from his mouth, with a winning smirk on his face that became wider when the redhead grabbed the base of his neck and brought his lips upon them with the same ferocity that Riku had when he guided them into the kitchen. "We need somewhere more comfortable." Axel breathed, having tried for moments on end to break the kiss but only succeeding in placing smaller, heat-filled kisses on his lips for an unknown span afterwards. He gazed into the other's aquatic eyes, catching the moon's rays reflecting off the tumultuous bay. "I think the benches in that locker room were enough wood for us."

"My bedroom's just upstairs." He answered, his hands slithering into Axel's as he hopped off the table, and began a fast ascent up the set of stairs, running as quickly as his feet would take him, Axel running behind him, pressuring him to run faster, up the stairs. Axel shut the door behind them (old habit, one could say), spinning, sending his hair flying wildly around him, as he advanced on Riku again, an animalistic gleam in his eyes. Once within arms reach, Riku began undoing Axel's pants, his drawstrings already half undone with Axel's long arms and fingers. With the faux-bronze button and zip undone, he yanked the pants and boxers off Axel's sharp, angular hips ("Jesus, it'd be nice if you ate more." Riku hissed over his thundering heart.), his gray pajama bottoms already pushed to his ankles, leaving them both nude in the dim moonlight.

The only sounds in the room afterward were repeating gasps and moans as both of them neared completion, and the breathy pleads, repeated over and over, "Harder…Please, go harder…" Sinking further and further into a world in which only the two of them existed, Riku bit Axel on the shoulder, drawing blood as he came, quickly, shooting his seed across their stomachs. Only a few seconds after did Axel last, emptying himself into the condom he had rolled on ("Safety first, kiddies." The redhead had murmured into Riku's ear as when whined pathetically against his neck.), after, he moved off of Riku, throwing the useless condom into the waist bin next to the dresser.

Resettling himself by Riku, leaning on his elbow, while Riku rested cozily from his pillow, he brushed the lunar locks out the younger's face. He smiled at the odd look of adoration breaking through his hazy, aqua eyes. "You know…" He started, beginning to brush his fingers over Riku's lightly tanned shoulder. "I came over with the intent of drinking lemonade and watching late night info-mercials with you."

"I think this was much better for our health." Riku smirked.

Axel nodded. "Nothing like early morning exorcizes to help prepare you for the day."

"It'd be a good cardio workout for you." He nodded, knowingly.

"I would exorcize every damn day if my dietician said told me sex was a good workout."

Riku snorted, pushing his redhead away from him, making him bump against the wall gently before he rebounded, dramatically, falling to cover Riku's torso, his hair thrown out over the side of the small-ish bed. He rested there, listening to Riku's heart beat in a calming, rhythmic pattern. Then, after a minute or two, Riku's hand came up to pet his shoulder, which, as Riku had mention in a very odd exchange of sex-chat, also had freckles. Contently, they stayed in the position, until Axel glanced up at Riku's alarm clock, which blinked five forty-five.

He sighed, lifting himself off of Riku, feeling the unusual sticking of skin to skin as they hadn't yet showered, not that the redhead honestly cared. However, it was getting late…or early, and he had left his house without even leaving a note for his harpy parents. "I should go." He said gently, when he met Riku's curious eyes. "My parents are probably wondering where I am." He pushed himself up further, stopping in his way to all fours to scope the room out for some articles of clothing, thankful that Riku was rather tidy. So the only clothes on the floor were his jeans, and Riku's pajama bottoms.

"Please don't." Riku asked, sitting up, too, so that him and his redhead were eye-level. "I don't want to stay in this house on my own. It's too big for just me." He explained, half-heartedly, knowing that that was the actual reason he wanted Axel to stay, knowing that he just wanted to have his former enemy's company for as long as possible. "Please, stay?" He asked again.

Axel looked into Riku's open, pleading eyes, giving in at once. "I'll stay." He agreed, lying back down on Riku's bed. Riku let out a breath of relief, reaching down by the side of the bed to grab his several thousand blankets, even though Axel was an inferno, which easily gave out heat. Sighing comfortably when the younger lay down on his chest, pulling the blankets over the both of them, he began running his fingers through Riku's tangled, silver hair, until he fell asleep.

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A/N: So…cough I, uh, was so over my head with this chapter. Could you tell? I did not like it one bit. I tried to make everything flow but at the end of everything would work, so I let it go in this rendition. If you didn't like it as well, we'll start a rehab group to make us all feel better.

Review! I love them all so much. I've started naming them. I have Oney…and Twoey…and threey…Foury…but Joe is my favorite. le sigh Can't wait to hear from ya!

InnocentGuilt


	20. My Dear

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_Why have you waited to embrace me, my dear?-The Cross, by Within Temptation_

_"Where are you, little brother?"_

Axel inhaled deeply, rubbing his face tiredly, when he heard Larxene's voice from his cell phone. "I'm with Riku." He said stretching his left hand above his head, since his right was currently occupied. He looked around the house, still cleanly for the most part, though it looked more lived in now, since he had moved in. It would almost seem as if he were looking for his lunar-haired, aquatic eyed man, but Axel knew he wouldn't find his lover.

Since Sephiroth had been hospitalized, Riku had been absent a lot of the time Axel was there. In the week and a half since Axel's arrival, ten days total, Riku had been out eight nights. Axel had no doubt in his mind where he had gone. Riku would let his body be used by the men at Hollywood and 10 th to escape the pain of his brother's absence from his life.

Clearing his throat from the disuse it had undergone in the almost sleep he had been near, and dismantling the rage inducing image from his mind of Riku staring blankly up at a fat, pig-like man, he continued with his sister, "Where are you?" His rage at her from over three weeks ago bubbled and hissed inside his chest. Three weeks and not word one from this treacherous bitch of a half-sister, the only family he felt he belonged to. He had begun to think she had been killed on one of her dates, but, of course, his parents hadn't said a damn thing to him in her absence, making him fret even more. She was their true child but did nothing for her…

Axel wondered if it should be legal for such dispassionate people to reproduce.

But instead of the answer he had indirectly been demanding out of her, she asked him a question in return, her voice loud and unbelieving. "You're with Riku? Riku Melosine?" She screeched. "The one who hates you with a passion? Why?"

The questions fired rapidly at him, made him growl in frustration. What right did she have to demand these answers of him when it was she who had been gone for so long? It wasn't as if he had just walked out of the house while she was asleep, as she often did to him. No! She had been the one to leave without the slightest word as to where she may be headed. Sleep totally forgotten, he sat straighter in his seat, ignoring completely the television that was playing right in front of him. "You answer me first. You owe me at least that much!"

He heard her sneer from the other end of the line. "How do you figure?"

He didn't know what the hell her problem was, but it was irritating nonetheless. "How do I figure? You kind of left for three weeks! You didn't tell anyone where you were going! You didn't leave a time when you would return! You didn't even take your cell phone!" He hollered that last exclamation into the phone, and he hoped to hell she flinched when she heard his anger.

Knowing her, however, it would take a fair bit more to even chip her selfish exterior. She had done nothing without the thought of herself first and foremost in her mind. He discarded the times when she had defended him to her parents, not having a good explanation for why she would do that for him. It was the only thing about his sister's attitude that didn't fit; her unadulterated want for Ansem and Ruxy to look at Axel as their son, not their burden.

But true to typical form, she scoffed. "It's not like this is the first time!" She bit back at him, and her glare was visible even through the phone line. "What does it matter? I'm alive, right?"

"I didn't know that for the last three weeks!" He grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I was under the assumption that one of your boy-toys had finally had enough of your noncommittal ways and had slashed your throat so another man couldn't have you."

There was a pregnant pause, one in which Axel rubbed his right temple with his free hand again. Then comes a stifled giggle from the other end of the line. "That's more than morbid, little brother."

"I can't help what comes screaming through my mind in your unannounced absence." He told her in a droll tone. His anger already spent towards his sister—he had never been able to hold a grudge against his protector—he sighed, wearily, and again asked, "Where are you?"

"I'm at home." She said with a despairing sigh. "Mom and Dad had a grand old time when I returned. I think their wondering if they can actually ground me at twenty."

"That's funny." He told her. "They didn't actually seem to give a rat's ass while you were away. I was calling the police, and Ruxy told me to put the phone down!" He told her, his right hand flying into the air at the remembered incredulity of his step-mother's cold voice telling him he'd best not call anyone if he didn't know what he was doing.

She hummed in her agreement to his statement. "It sounds like them. They don't give a shit when we're not here, but when we get home we're supposed to pretend that they love us. We're supposed to pretend to be ashamed that we want to escape them, even for just the tiniest second." Her words were bitter, almost as bitter as his thought about his parents were. She obviously felt just as spurned by their actions as he did, though they both knew the redhead had more of a reason to be. Still, the feeling of resentment reverberated in both of their minds, sending a foul taste to their mouths anytime they thought of their cold parents.

Her sigh alerted him again to the conversation at hand. "Where did you go for so long?" He asked, sullenly.

"On a cruise with some nameless idiot holding too much cash in his hands and not enough brain-cells to out maneuver a water pump!" She groaned, suddenly. Axel heard the pain in it and immediately opened his mouth to ask on her well being, but she moaned out, "I'll be right back," before he heard her set the cell phone on something, then silence. In the distance, he heard something that sounded akin to his sister's awful metal music playing. It wasn't blaring, so she obviously wasn't trying to anger their parents, only trying to sooth her nerves, but it comforted him in an abstract way.

She was gone for several minutes. In that time, Axel watched an episode of_ Law and Order_, waiting for either his sister to get back, or for his Riku to get home. With a swift glance to the clock on the wall above the television, it would be more probable for his sister to return, as it was only ten at night. Sure enough, his sister returned to her cell, her voice hoarse as she said, "Sorry about that. I've been feeling a little under the weather lately." She groaned again, but with less pain. "I must have eaten something really awful on that damn trip." She said with an air of humor.

"Did you have fun, at least?" He asked, his eyes staring ahead of him to the T.V.

She laughed. "Oh, it was fun, to say the least. I could have lived without my suitor there, but life goes on." She said in a dreamy voice. It was a voice he missed hearing in her three weeks of absence, despite his soreness about her abrupt departure, he wouldn't have been the same had he found out she was gone for good.

His quietness must have made her nosy again, because she asked, "Why are you at Riku's house? I thought the two of you didn't get along?" In no more than two seconds, his mood switched from withdrawn, to completely exhausted, at only the mere thought of why he was here.

Riku had absolutely refused to see his brother in the hospital, and in doing so, he was shutting himself out in various ways. Sephiroth was off the table for conversation. Axel was not to even look at Sephiroth's room, and after he had rescued Riku's belongings from the upstairs bathroom, Riku had practically taped it off from the house. It was odd. Granted, Riku didn't normally talk about his brother, but he was mentioned, spoken of as either burden, or hero-figure. But now that the elder Melosine was in the hospital, Riku only acknowledged Sephiroth when Aerith came to check up on them, which had involved some rather embarrassing moments, including when she had nearly walked in on them…ahem…doing the dirty.

Aside from that, he had practically begged for Axel not to leave him alone during the winter Holidays. Riku had never begged to anyone, and it was certainly disconcerting when he had begged to Axel, who had been his sworn enemy for near three years, who Riku had only began to want around him a week and a half ago. But he had stayed, only leaving when he went to get his clothes, or when they went shopping for foods around the house.

It was odd how leisurely it was to fall into the boyfriend/boyfriend scene. It was made even odder by the fact of who the two of them were, and what they had once been to each other.

But he had strayed from the question at hand and he realized it when he heard his sister's impatient, 'Ahem,' from the other end of the line. He sighed, "Riku's brother was hospitalized." He breathed, imagining the brief flash of pain that shot through his lover's eyes when the topic was brought up. "He asked me to stay with him." Now that he thought about it, it wasn't the best explanation; it didn't even make sense to him when he thought about it. But he tried not to think about it. It was best to do what his heart told him to do, where Riku was involved.

He had expected Larxene to snap at him, to tell him that didn't make sense to her, but she didn't. There was only a pause so inexplicably heart-wrenching, followed by the choked, strained, and seldom heard shocked voice, saying, "Sephiroth's in the hospital? When?"

It shocked him to hear his sister's voice break at the subject of Sephiroth. He didn't think that they had even met, let alone had time enough to wrench a reaction like this from her. Confused, he told her, "A week and a half ago…he has this disease. It's called An…"

"Angel's disease." She finished the name, pain lacing every syllable. "I know what he has." He went to ask how she knew what Sephiroth had, but she beat him to speaking. "How's Riku taking it?"

He took a deep sigh reminiscing on the third day he had been with his distraught…whatever Riku was to him. They had been in the living room, attempting to conduct the essays Vexen had demanded they write over one another, and he had to admit, they were accomplishing it much faster now that they could actually stand to be in the same room. Arranged in damn near the exact position they had been in when Axel had first visited Riku, with Riku in his armchair, and Axel sitting in front of him, they asked each other several questions when they reached a dead point in their papers. Axel remembered asking Riku if he preferred boxers or briefs. It had been nice and comfortable.

Of course…it didn't stay that way.

In the blink of an eye, Riku had seized up, becoming stiff as a board in his chair. It passed in only seconds, but when Axel had turned around to look up at the teen in the chair, Riku had looked at him with a deep curious gaze.

_"When did you get here, Axel?" He asked, confusion written clearly on his features. "I thought it would take a while for you to get here. Where's the Japanese you said you were going to pick up?" _

_Axel could only stare at Riku with a mirror image of the other's confusion. He had no idea what the other was speaking about, and to show just how confused he was, he very eloquently asked, "What?" _

_Riku huffed, a very un-Riku-like thing to do. "You said you were going to pick me up some Japanese food before you went to Demyx's. Did you forget it?" He asked. _

_Axel turned around on the floor, struggling to get up to his knees so he was even with the lunar-haired boy before him. He looked into the other's eyes, hoping for some clue as to what was going on in them, but they gave no hint. They were as clear and, well, as bright as anyone like Riku could ever hope to get his eyes. The man had been through so much. His face scrunched, unattractively, as he tried to figure out Riku's game. "What are you talking about? I'm not going to Demyx's today. He's still trying to patch things up with Zexion." _

_"Who's Zexion?"_

_Axel cocked his head to the side, looking Riku up and down appraisingly. "Demyx's roommate. The man I was telling you about yesterday? He's an accountant, hates people, doesn't understand why he even bothers trying to understand Demyx?" He looked into Riku's face for any sign of acknowledgement.__His statements had become questions, hoping that maybe he had imagined telling Riku about some of Zexion's character flaws. But there was no way he could have missed them all. "I told you he nearly threw Demyx out for breaking his ten-key?" Riku's face was surprised by this last question, but there was no sign that he remembered any of it. _

_In fact, Riku told Axel in a very frank tone. "You weren't here yesterday. We haven't seen each other since school ended last Wednesday." _

"…I think Riku has it, too." He told Larxene, his voice taking on the identical pain in her voice.

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A/N: I want everyone to know that I hate this chapter with mucho amounts of passion! I had to rewrite it twice, and then I thought I had lost it because of a stupid habit I have when I send it to my beta! Oh, man it was frustrating and this is so completely stupid I can't stand it!** Huff!** But it moves the story right along, and those of your who were like, 'Where's Larxene?'

Hey! There she is!

I'm so freaking sorry it took me so long to write it. I had the outline for it done at the end of the last chapter, but I started writing it, and nothing I did would flow the way I wanted it to. I was like…this is so fucking hopeless. But I'm like eight or seven chapters away from the end I'm just sitting her going, 'Please, Iggy! Come on you can finish ONE multichapter story!'

So have no fear! I am not abandoning this! I am detirmined to finish one multi-chapter!

…it just may take a while, because no matter how much I love this story…after twenty chapters, I'm like, "Be DONE already!" Ya know?

Sorry for that long rant…I'm bored out of my mind around here.

I was supposed to be taking three classes this semester, but my first one was canceled. So I'm just sitting here, schooless and workless, reading series after series of book, only stopping to write on a story that pops into my head, and if you know me…that's a bunch!

Love and hugs go out to all those who review, even if I can't squeal at you myself, know that you are appreciated.

And…

Ramble, end!

_InnocentGuilt_


	21. Misery

_Misery loves its company. – by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

"Hey! Hey, Seifer!" Rai yelled from Seifer's living room at the other end of the house.

Seifer picked up his head from his pillow, growling at the annoyance that was his other friend. He looked at Fuu, who was sitting in his bay window, reading one of her books from her English Composition class at the Academy. "Can't you control his mouth?" He snapped at her.

She lifted her head from the book, as more, 'Hey, Seifer!'s came yelling from around the house. She listened to it as if it were the first time she had ever heard him. Tilting her heard a little, she moved her head from the first place she had been gazing at, the door, to Seifer, and shrugged. Heaving a sigh, she said, "No luck," before returning to her book.

Seifer scoffed, irritably, turning his head to stare at his door, which was about to bang open and probably leave a hole in his wall.

"Seifer! Seifer! You up?" Rai asked on the other side of the door.

Seifer didn't answer immediately, wondering if he wanted to be silent and pretend to be asleep or not, but Fuu looked at him, expectantly, her eyes narrowed in speculation. "He's shouting," She told him quietly, so that the person on the other side of the door wouldn't know they were in there.

He didn't know what it was about that simple statement that made him change his mind about letting Rai in, but it did, and he yelled, angrily, at the door, "Yes, I'm up! Stop yelling and get your ass in here!" He was glad that his parents weren't in, because with Rai around there was no curbing his language, and both of his parents were devoutly religious. They probably would have washed his mouth out with soap.

Rai opened the door, quietly, as if trying to sneak into his room. Looking up at the two of them, he shut the door just as quietly, before yelling, "Hey, Seifer! Hey, Fuu!"

Seifer rolled his eyes at the ogre's inability to use an inside-voice.

Fuu only inclined her head and replied, "Hello, Rai."

Rai smiled, stupidly at her, before he bounded over to Seifer. "You won't believe what I found out yesterday, Seifer!" He told him, plopping himself into one of Seifer's black bean-bag chairs. "I barely believe it, y'know?"

"What are you talking about?"

Rai made himself more comfortable in the bean-bag before continuing, only adding to Seifer's rage, but he started speaking directly afterwards. "Well, me and my brother's went to see this movie yesterday, y'know. It was pretty good, but there wasn't nearly enough action. It's the one with that guy, err, Setzer…something or other! I don't know, but he kicked ass! Anyway-"

"Get to the point!" Seifer snapped again.

Rai startled in his seat, fiddling under Seifer's agitation, before taking a deep breath and talking. "Yeah. On the way home, we have to walk down Hollywood, y'know, and we saw the Riku there. And my brother, the oldest one, Reese, he ran up to this him, y'know." Seifer could slowly see where this might go. "But, soon as Riku saw me, he started freaking out. Totally fucking ran away from my brother." Seifer nodded, crushing the bridge of his nose to stifle the roaring headache he was getting. "I asked my brother what he was doing, when he got back, y'know. You know what he said? Huh? Huh?"

Fuu looked up from her book, her eyes telling the room she was just as irritated with the this story as Seifer was. It relaxed from her face instantly though, as she patiently told Rai, "No idea."

Rai smiled, stupidly. "He told me that was his usual hooker. Riku is a prostitute!" He looked up at Seifer like a faithful dog. "You told me to get the scoop on Riku, and this is what I found! He's a hooker. His normal spot is Hollywood and 10th. My brother told me everything."

Fuu's attention immediately shot to Seifer, who was still sitting on his bed. Instead of irritation, however, being plastered all over his face, now a look was in its place. A look of the spurned finally getting revenge warped his face, making what could pass as handsome, sinister, and mutated.

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"Hey, you major bum! Get up!"

Thus was the sound Riku woke to, instead of the inhumane buzzing of his alarm clock. Opening his eyes just the tiniest bit, he glared up at the pant legs he saw hovering in front of his face. He knew the jeans belonged to Axel, and he knew why Axel was waking him up.

School.

God, how he hated the thought.

School was going to be hell. He didn't know why he detested the thought, but he did more than anything in the entire universe! School, where his uncle was waiting for him, stalking him, practically. School, where the teachers would give him homework, and expect it done no less! School, where it was school! It was the most terrible thing he had ever thought about.

He groaned, looking up to Axel who was still toweling his hair, which was wet from his shower. "Five more minutes!" He snapped, sleepily, to his redhead. He rolled over before the other could actually accept or decline the notion. Half hoping his redhead would leave him alone, he held back a growl of frustration when he felt the bed he had been sharing with Axel dip.

"Come on! Get up, Sleeping Beauty." Axel said gently, rolling Riku over to his back.

Riku sighed, looking at the ceiling sullenly, "I don't want to." He told the man above him, looking at him hopefully, maybe to convince him to let him skip out on going to the first day back.

Axel was not so kind. He hauled in a deep breath into his lungs, and grabbed Riku's arm. "No, no, no, no, no!" He said in a sing-song voice. "We must get up! We must face the Vexen! We must escape the Hell of High School so we can get jobs, and aspire to be slobs who hate their jobs!"

Riku snorted at Axel's proclamation, before he rolled himself over to sitting position. He looked at the floor thoughtfully, trying to decide whether he should feign sickness to escape 'the Vexen'. It was clear Axel was going, though, and he didn't honestly want to be alone in his house without his redhead. In all honestly, he didn't want to be anywhere without his redhead. He had become completely and maddeningly dependant on Axel. Even Hollywood and 10th had lost its mind-numbing effect on him. It was only with Axel that his mind felt peace from his dying brother, and decaying family.

Looking up at Axel from under his lashes, he put the best pout he could onto his face. "Will you make me breakfast?" He asked.

Axel rolled his eyes, plaintively. "Whatever you want, darling dear of mine, object of my affection, and holder of my bedtime games."

Riku snorted as the other left the room to make something yummy for him. He rolled his head about on his shoulders, trying to work out the kinks in his muscles, mentally preparing himself for the travesties his day would bring.

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The teachers of King Mickey High School sat in the staff room, supposedly discussing the plans they had for the upcoming semester. However, much to the dismay of the superintendant, as he was forced to conduct the meetings at the beginning of every semester, instead of the actual principle, most of the teachers had taken up mimicking the students. Some of them had their heads down on the desk, and the freshman science teacher closest to Mr. Cloris, the superintendant, was actually snoring. Most of the teachers, who were doing their damnedest to pretend they were paying attention were doodling their suicides into their planners, notebooks, and a few even went as far as doodling it on the table itself.

Vexen snorted, looking at Saix who was carving a body lying limply in a guillotine with the body's head unattached into the table they were at. It was a good likeness of someone, though this obviously wasn't a depiction of suicide. It was a homicide, and the person in the guillotine was quite obviously Mr. Cloris who was droning on at the head of the table, trying to rouse them, as he had done for the last ten years.

Saix exhaled crossly, glaring harder at the table as he obviously came to the end of this mornings carving session. Vexen half expected him to imitate the rest of the staff, put his head down, and drown out the rest of the world. But, Saix was a very odd creature, and on top of this, most definitely unpredictable.

"Mr. Cloris!" Saix snapped impatiently. He didn't look at the end of the table, only stared at the door that was across the room from him. He waited until Mr. Cloris was completely silent, and waiting on him to finish what had interrupted the superintendant's magnificent droning. Saix seemed to be in conflict with himself, deciding if what Vexen thought he was going to do would be worth the threat his job would be in afterwards. Of course, it was, because Saix was most absolutely Xemnas' favorite, no matter how much of an ass.

"Mr. Cloris!" He said again. "Get out!"

Vexen shook his head in complete amusement though his face was void of any emotion. It had been a long time since Saix had last done this, at least three years. Last time, Xemnas had almost been forced to fire him, due to all of Cloris' whining. Saix didn't seem to mind though, and seemed to revel in the fact that if he were fired today he would never have to deal with Cloris again.

Cloris seemed at a total loss as of what to say to Saix, having obviously thought he had beaten the Sexual Education teacher three years back, when Saix had actually gone as far as to literally throw the superintendant out of the board room. As Vexen would later come to relay to Cloris, that was a big mistake. One never knew what Saix was going to do. Thus was how Vexen, himself, had become head of the Axel/Riku campaign, landed himself as Santa at a party thrown by Saix at a retirement home, and was currently typing a Sexual Activity report over dolphins while Saix dictated to him.

Mr. Cloris didn't move, so Saix reiterated himself. "Mr. Cloris, leave the room!"

"You have no authority to tell me what to do." Cloris said attempting a calm appearance, but sorely failing. His fear at what the strange man would do to him this time, leaked out of him like water out of a sieve.

Saix smiled. It was not a pleasant sight, and as Vexen hitched an eyebrow, Cloris paled considerably. The, admittedly, insane teacher lifted from his seat, stalking over to the superintendant with a predator's grace. Cloris dared not move. To make Saix chase you was not a wise thought to pursue, as they had all found out Cloris' second year here when he had actually run out the door.

His car still wasn't the same.

Saix grabbed the man's ear, never breaking his stride. Cloris yelped as he was jerked, none too gently, from his place at the head of the table, passed the several sleeping teacher's, though a few had woken to watch the ordeal. Finally at the door, Saix opened it harshly, and led Cloris out. He paused when he noticed two students standing in the doorway, looking at Saix curiously. Vexen had to lean over a bit in his seat to see who they actually were.

Axel and Riku…how pleasant. The two of them stared at their Sex. Ed. teacher, looking between him and Mr. Cloris who was straightening his mussed hair. The teacher just smiled, graciously at them and said, "Morning, gents," before shutting the door in their face.

However, it was not before Vexen noticed the rather intimate way Axel had his arm draped around Riku's shoulders.

Leaning back against the door, Saix turned his attention to Vexen smirking, evilly. "You didn't say they were all cuddly-like." He told him, only earning him a shrug from the unique blonde. Saix took a deep breath, not even trying to conceal the triumphant look on his face as he looked to Xigbar and snapped, like a child who had just retrieved the last cookie from the cookie jar, "I'm winning," before he resumed to his seat.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Larxene stepped into the hospital room; still painfully cold, even with the tacky wallpaper they had put up to make it seem homier.

It had been a long time since she had been into a hospital. Sixteen years to be exact, and, damn, she remembered why she hated them so badly. Her skin rose at the beeping noise in the room, and the hollow sound of breathing. It was painful to be around the dying. Even at six she wasn't comfortable here, she sure as hell wasn't comfortable now.

Stepping further in, she dropped her parka-like coat by the door and toed off her pretty black high heels, so her clicking didn't disturb the room's occupant. She held her hands tightly against the fabric of her sweater, holding her hands stiffly against her chest as if she were in prayer. And she might as well be praying. It would take all of her strength not to run from this confrontation. She should have done this so long ago. Damn her cowardice. Damn it to hell.

She pressed her hands to her forehead, begging any deity that would listen to give her power she had to have somewhere deep inside her. When finally she felt she could do this, she walked into the view of the occupant. She was taken aback by the prone form lying on the bed, hooked up to several machines she couldn't even begin to imagine the use of. His eyes were open and staring at a television that hung suspended from the wall, but he was skeletal. His, once long, beautiful silver hair, was cut just above his shoulders. His eyes were bleak, as he stared at the television without taking notice of her. Even his beautiful tan skin was bleach of its glow.

He was dead. His mind just hadn't figured that out yet.

"Jesus, Sephie. What have you done to yourself?" She breathed, her glittering green eyes widening in disbelief.

His face turned slowly toward her, his sunken eyes, like pits in the human skull, glaring at her coldly. "I really do doubt that this is the time or place for a 'booty call'." He wheezed, still somehow managing to sound just as fearsome and cold as when they had actually been dating.

"Okay." She said reasonably. "I deserve that." She stepped closer to Sephiroth, the tiles freezing her feet through her panty-hose. "But if you get to dole out insults and throw below the belt references to lifestyles, so do I." He glared at her daringly at her, and she smirked at him. "I mean, honestly, love," She continued, crossing her arms over her chest. "You had second stage Angel's disease and you were so pissed off at me you thought to torture yourself, to kill yourself! You didn't seek help!" She glared angrily at him. "You could have been cured! You could have had a happily ever after and you didn't even try…because you were upset that I left you!"

He looked away from her, and she lost her glare, instantaneously. "Had I known you were going to do this to yourself, I would've left you sooner."

He closed his eyes, breathing in painfully at her admittance. "What do you want?" He sighed.

Larxene shrugged, apathetically. "To say I'm sorry, I suppose. Maybe give you the goodbye I was too cowardly to give when I originally left." She looked at the floor, realizing what she was saying was probably the weakest thing she had ever said. "I don't know, really." She said with a small laugh. Tears began springing to her eyes as she did laugh though, knowing this was all her fault. She had let him get too attached! Holding back her sob, she got around the lump in her throat to tell him, "I guess I just wanted to see you, honestly. My brother told me you were here, and I felt as if I should come see you."

She looked up the tiles to his face laughing as she had to wipe her eyes from her tears. He still didn't look at her; he was staring up at the screen watching some cheesy action movie, with lots of explosions. "I apologize. I shouldn't have bothered you." She took a step back from him, moving gently back to her coat and shoes. Throwing the coat over her arm, she looked back over her shoulder at him. "I'll come to your funeral."

Sephiroth smiled, though to her it looked like a painful grimace. "I'll look for you," He told her, his eyes never leaving the screen of the television.

She nodded solemnly, leaving Sephiroth, with his machines that were hooked into his body. And just in time too, her daily nausea caught up with her. She leaned over, sickly, trying to will it away, because sometimes she could get it to stop for another hour or so. If she couldn't get it to stop though…

She really wondered what they had put in the food for that god damn trip. Jiminy Christmas, it had stayed with her for more than two weeks. She tried to remember how long food poisoning lasted, she had heard something about it from her cooking classes in high school…She gasped.

Maybe she had salmonella!

Oh. That was a bad thing. She headed towards the front desk, her nausea barely subdued, to see if there was a doctor who could test her for the sickness. Surely there had to be one about here just walking around and singing Christmas songs. There always were. But as she reached the front, watching the signs overhead to make sure she didn't stumble into a place she didn't want to be, she read a sign that made her sick to her stomach.

In a very,_ very_ literal way.

Pediatrics.

She looked down at her stomach, covered by her heavy black sweater, as another wave of queasiness hit her.

"You have_ got_ to be kidding me!" She groaned.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

At the mention of Sora being at school, the ominous air of school suddenly didn't seem as bad, though they still had to go at an ungodly hour. Riku was actually excited for the first time in the last two weeks Axel had been with him. He wolfed down his pancakes, which Axel had made dutifully for him, making sure Axel ate as well before he stormed off down the hall and up the stairs to ready for his day at school.

The walk to school was content, but he could see a little bit of extra bounce in Riku's step, looking eager to get to school for once in his life. And his mood was contagious. Axel could help the grin that slowly formed on his face as he and Riku talked about nothing in particular.

It eased Axel's mind, to know that Riku hadn't had another episode since the third day of his arrival. He hoped maybe it had been a fluke. Maybe Riku had just been really stressed that day and as a result his mind had gone haywire. Or maybe, just maybe, Axel had fallen asleep just a little. Maybe he had dreamed it all up, because Riku ever since then, had been his normal, snarky, even sometimes asshole self.

But somehow, he didn't think that was it.

"Axel, are you listening to me?" Riku asked, pushing into Axel harshly enough to move him from the sidewalk.

Axel stepped back onto the sidewalk, wrapping his arm around the other as he said, "Tell me what you were talking about and I'll pretend like I was."

He smiled as Riku rolled his eyes. "You're exasperating!" Riku said turning into the High School entrance. "You didn't forget your paper did you?" He asked, looking at the other's bag.

Axel smiled. "No. I didn't forget my paper. Why did you?"

"After all the hell I went through?" Riku asked incredulously. "I'd be more likely to forget my pants at home."

"You mean my pants?" The redhead asked looking down at the jeans Riku wore, which covered his feet and hung loosely from his form.

"What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine." He said smugly.

"Cute. Tell me, have you been talking to my sister?"

"Don't even joke."

They entered Vexen's room, after a brief and awkward confrontation in front of the Teacher's Lounge involving Mr. Saix, Mr. Cloris, and a rather disturbing shriek of, "I'm winning!" Setting their papers on Mr. Vexen's desk they headed to their table to speak quietly amongst themselves. By the time Vexen entered the room after the teacher's meeting, they had compiled a list of the things they needed to pick up from the grocery store, which they had stowed safely in Axel's jacket pocket. Vexen graciously told the two of them that since they had nothing to do they could help him set up some of his special projects for the advanced chemistry class he was teaching.

Which, of course, was hazardous to their well being.

At the end of it, Axel estimated the two of them were lucky to be alive. There was this green goo and the two of them nearly dropped it. It was only afterwards that Vexen felt to mention that it held explosive ingredients and had they dropped it they would have been exploded into millions of little Axel's and Riku's. The thought was not something that entertained the two of them.

But, thankfully, they were free now, on their way to the entrance, where Axel knew both of their friends to hang about before school actually started. With a quick parting peck on the lips, Axel went off to find Namine who had been texting him non-stop over the winter holidays about problems she was having with her family.

Riku spotted his spiky haired friend in no time, with his red hoodie brighter than the sun sometimes it wasn't that hard to find. With a content sigh, he ambled over to the short brunette.

"Sora!" He yelled, giving him enough time to turn around before Riku had captured him in a bone-crushing hug.

Sora was, to say the least, startled. Riku had all but been cold after his mother's death, wanting to have nothing to do with almost anything. How he had managed to keep hold of Sora as his closest friend, he wasn't sure, but now he was so glad he had. He wanted nothing more than to take the startled midget over to his house and tell him everything! They hadn't spoken, really spoken, in two years. God, it felt oppressive knowing that, and he wanted nothing more than to rectify that.

After regaining his composition, but still in the tight clutches of his taller friend, Sora began speaking, "It looks like Riku…It sounds like Riku…" He patted him down, including the well worn yellow backpack Riku carried everywhere. "It feels like Riku…The only conclusion there could possibly ever be is…body-snatchers!"

Riku let Sora go and he stumbled back a few steps, smiling as he moved to the tree he had been standing behind, where unsurprisingly Roxas was resting. "What got into you?" Sora asked with a grin, grabbing his messenger bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"I had an interesting holiday."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"Saix, read this." Mr. Vexen demanded, without so much as a 'hello', walking through his office door without even knocking. Honestly! One would think that the strange blond owned the place!

"What is it Vexen?" He asked, not looking up from the papers he was grading. When he did look up he saw papers in the other's hands, he smiled. "Did you finish my paper? Make it sound pretty and everything?"

"No. This is the paper from Axel. I made them both write papers about each other to make them get to know one another." Vexen said with a sigh. He threw the essay on the desk, covering all of Saix's grading to surely get his attention.

"Clever." Saix said sardonically, slipping on his reading glasses. "What am I supposed to be looking for?"He asked as he skimmed through the pages, finding nothing of any significance.

"Read the last line." He told Saix as he took a seat at the other's computer, pulling up a game of Hearts.

Saix sighed and flipped through the pages, glaring at Vexen over his glasses. Turning back to the last of the pages he cleared his throat and read out loud. "'Strangely enough, with everything I have mentioned previously, with every oddity and flaw, I find myself falling in love with Riku Dante Melosine.' Did he write a love story?" Saix asked with a look between happiness and disgust at the sappiness. He started flipping the pages back over, but Vexen put his hand on the paper, rolling over from the computer to do so.

"There's more, dogbreath!"

Saix scoffed at the nickname. "I was merely curious." He said with a sneer. He turned back to the essay. "'I hate you for making me do this, Mr. Vexen. Not because I love him, not because I actually had to write something down, or that it took us three weeks to do this, but because I'll love him to his death…'" Saix looked taken aback as he skimmed through the very last line of the paper, his face twisting grimly. "'And his death is something I fear may come sooner than I'm prepared.' Vexen what do you think he means by that?" Saix said, taking his glasses off to stare at the taller man inquisitively.

Vexen bit his lip. "His older brother, Sephiroth—you remember him. He gave you hell in your class. Always knew more about sex than you did—he's in the hospital with Angel's disease."

"Right." Saix said, unemotionally. He didn't like it when his students were more knowledgeable than he was.

"It's a hereditary disease. He got it from his mother."

"You think Riku has it?"

"I couldn't be sure." Vexen admitted, finally returning to his game of Hearts.

Saix turned his attention back to the paper, beginning to actually read it from the beginning. "Should Xemnas see this?" He asked off-handedly.

"I don't think he'd be thrilled to see us meddling in his nephew's life."

"So, why did you bring this to me?" Saix screeched, irritated that the man would interrupt his irritating grading which he was only in the mood to do once in the irritating day. It was the end of day one, and damn himself for actually assigning homework!

"I wanted someone to commiserate with me."

Saix looked over the paper at him disapprovingly. "You've really grown attached to the twerp haven't you?"

"To both of them unfortunately. It's hard not to. Really next year you do the same thing, see what happens to you."

"No thanks. Watching you is sad enough." He sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose to stifle a headache. "What a terrible way to die."

&$&$&$&$&$&

School had been taxing on Riku. More taxing than he had remembered it being. He was physically and mentally tired and all he had done today was hear a few lectures. He scooted along with Axel passed the High School buildings, nearly half asleep. Axel!

Oh, damn it! He had only asked Axel to stay for the winter holidays. He was probably going to go home now. He was going to pack his stuff and, poof! No more Axel. He mentally kicked himself. He didn't want to be alone. He glanced up at his redhead, who didn't look back at him, but kept his gaze on where he was walking. Fish paste! He really didn't want to be alone. More importantly, he didn't want to go back to living without Axel constantly being around. "Are you still going to stay with me?" He asked in a voice more timid than he meant to sound.

Axel looked at him dubiously. His obvious answer was going to be yes, but this was also the perfect time to bring up the only problem he had with the arrangement at Riku's home. Something he wasn't sure he could handle much longer without becoming homicidal and killing some poor unsuspecting pig-like men. "Are you still going to Hollywood?"

Riku hesitated.

Not the way he thought this conversation would go…

"Maybe every now and then…a few bucks here and there…" He said with a grimace.

"I don't like it." Axel said, shaking his head. Riku knew he was disgusted with the very thought of him going out to Hollywood and 10th, and it was getting to the point where Riku was too.

But at the same time…"It's money."

Axel scoffed. "Riku, you have half a million dollars. Money is not an issue for you."

Damn Axel and his reason. "I don't…" No, wrong way to go about this. "I want to stop! I do…but it's…" Riku didn't finish; he only looked away.

They slowed to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk, with Riku still looking away from his redhead, and Axel turning to face him fully. After a few moments of being totally ignored by his lover, the taller hooked his fingers under the narrow jaw, encouraging Riku to look his way, which, thankfully, he did. "Why do you feel the need to do it?" He asked softly, never breaking contact with the mint coloured eyes that stared right back at him with fear, defiance, and an emotion neither of them could begin to fathom.

It was nothing. Nothing at all, that's what Riku thought hesitantly. Yet, at the same time it was everything. It was useless, occupying, blissfully, totally without a doubt, sickeningly enough, wonderfully numbing! The routines were thoughtless. The positions came with very little variation. The men had faceless qualities that blended them into one, big haze of thoughtlessness. And all he had to do was stand there. He just had to stop thinking.

When he had first signed up for this gig not thinking had been like music to deaf ears. It had been so wonderful, even if the constant feel of self-degradation wasn't exactly great. But as the disgust with himself had eased over the months, so had the wonderful feeling. Now, he was to a point where the only reason he could imagine going was because…because…hell, because he could. He felt cold inside at this realization. He only went because he fucking could?

Exactly how far away was that from jumping off a bridge because it was there?

He was so tired of thinking this non-thinking way. This non-thinking way was getting him into a hole he couldn't get himself out of and he had never sought to question it until now.

Hollywood was the reason he had been gone. In turn, he had never appealed to Sephiroth to get better. He had gone to get 'numb' while Sephiroth was left to mourn for his dead mother and inconsiderate bitch of a girlfriend. He had left Sephiroth alone with a disease that had just taken their mother not even a year before. Had he been there for his brother perhaps there could have been some semblance of recovery for him.

Maybe Sephiroth would be sane, and healthy. Maybe he could have met a nice girl, maybe Aerith! And with no need to go out every night, Riku could have had healthy friendships, not the fragile glass that he and Sora danced on. Riku probably could have found faith in Axel a little sooner—not by much, his sister was a slut who he didn't trust at all.

Maybe there could have been no secrets…

Had he just hesitated when dick-sporting shoppers walked by him on the street.

Because now he was just so_ confused_!

His realization cost him more time that Axel was willing to give him for answering his question, and his redhead said with a deep sigh, "Riku, if you can't answer that question then, please! Please, stop." He put his hands on Riku's shoulders, and squeezed affectionately, willing him to give into his will.

He huffed, trying to look annoyed with the fact that he had this severe disability in saying 'no' to Axel, but in the end all he could do was stare into Axel's eyes and ask, hopefully, "Are you going to stay with me if I do stop?"

"Until you change the locks," Axel smiled, loving the way it felt when Riku gave into him. Wrapping his arms around Riku's waist, he stood straight, and the other's feet barely touched the ground. Riku, grudgingly, after murmuring something that sounded an awful lot like, 'show off', wrapped his arms around his bony shoulders leaning in to rest his forehead against Axel's.

"What do we call this?" He asked, subconsciously rubbing the back of his redhead's neck.

"Skin." Axel told him with a knowing nod and a sarcastic wink.

"That's it! Put me down!" Riku said, pushing away and off of the taller. Unwrapping himself from the long arms he began walking in an opposite direction, yelling, "I've decided you're sleeping on the sofa."

Axel caught Riku's hand and pulled him back to his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm kidding. I'm kidding!" He kissed Riku's cheek. "I don't know what to call this. What do you feel it is?"

"Insanity?" Riku asked, pulling them in the direction of him. Axel hummed in agreement. "I…I suppose I want to have this as…" He took a deep breath. "As a relationship?"

"Don't sound so unsure of yourself. I'll tell you the truth. I'll be the last one in this gig to say 'no'." Somehow Riku doubted that. "As a relationship, hmm? Good. Now, what do you say to a trip to the Hospital?"

"Throw in spaghetti and that Murder, She Wrote marathon, and…and then yeah. Why not?"

&$&$&$&$&$&

"Aerith?"

The nurse turned around to see Riku and Axel heading towards her. "Boys! Oh, I'm so happy you two are here…and fully clothed…" She said with a kind smile that made the both of them blush. Her smile widened at the sight of their discomfort, but quickly turned back to business. "Are you here to see Sephiroth?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Nope! We're here selling chocolate bars. The students wanted to sell pornography, seeing as it sells better, but the uncle smooshed that quickly!"

She heaved a dramatic sigh, and shook her head. "Room 413, Riku. Down the hall, on the left."

Riku started off instantly, his face painted in uncertainty. He had only gotten a few steps underway, when he looked back at Axel, expectantly. Axel smiled, and waved at him. "You go ahead. You need some time alone with him," He told his younger counterpart encouragingly.

He looked back at the end of the hall, then to Axel again. "But…"

"I promise I won't run off without you." Axel joked. "You have the keys to the house."

The lunar-haired man slumped his shoulders in exasperation, then stalked off down the hall, grumbling something he couldn't hear. Axel waited until he had turned into a doorway, before he turned back to Aerith who was watching him too, with a look Axel couldn't discern in her eyes. She watched as the door slowly swung shut, hanging her head low after he was in.

"You're fond of him, aren't you?" She asked, and to Axel it sounded like she had developed a lump in her throat, and was trying desperately to speak around it.

"Yeah." He said with a nod, even if she couldn't see it. "Unfortunately." His joke was lost, however, as soon as she looked up at him, and he could see tears swimming in her valley green eyes. He sighed, painfully, breathing feeling more painful than he thought it should. There had been a reason he stayed out with Aerith, instead of going in with Riku. He wanted to ask her about Riku, to see if se thought it was possible that he might actually have the disease that had captured Sephiroth.

Suddenly, a lump was in his throat too, and he had to swallow it down, which wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded. With a shuddery breath, he shot the lump back down to where it had come from, and said, "Look, I…" He paused, trying to think of how to phrase this. Somehow, saying, "Yeah, I think Riku has gone slightly loony," would work. So he rethought his plan of procedure. "Have you noticed_ something_ off about Riku? I mean do you think there's something weird?" He sighed. He wasn't asking what he wanted! There was nothing off about Riku. There was nothing weird about him…nothing serious anyway. He had only seen him wig out once and…and he just didn't know. He didn't know nearly enough about this damn disease to actually ask what he should be asking, and he felt stupid sitting here and trying to figure out how to voice his question. But he wouldn't be deterred! "Do you think there is some chance that Riku…that Riku…" Damn that lump! "That Riku has Angel's disease?"

She peered at him sadly, her face contorting into sharper lines of grief, as tears actually fell from her eyes. "It's almost guaranteed," She admitted painfully, hugging her arms around her. "I think he's had it in a developed form for almost a month now. I haven't been sure…" She looked down the hallway, sobs wracking her small form. "I should have seen this coming!" She cursed herself, more than anyone else. "I shouldn't have gotten so close to him!"

Honestly, Axel shouldn't have either…

But it was too late now.

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A/N: Pbbbt! I don't know what to say. Other than…

HERE IT IS!

Damn…Oh! And hey! I nearly have 300 reviews! I'm so happy. I was almost in tears when I saw that.

But anyway…here it is.

Love and hugs to all who review.

InnocentGuilt


	22. Crumble

A/N: I'm not going to even try and feed you all bullshit about why this chapter was so late…I'm just a lazy sod. That purdy much covers it.

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_It's a sad thing when you decide to come out and face the world, but the sun has already set and the world has gone to sleep…_

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"So, how do you feel about Roxas?"

Acylone's disgust almost slipped passed Phoenix, but she had indulged Acylone's presence for many years, at one point nearly going so far as to call her a friend. Nothing in the austere woman's tone could be fully covered, and Phoenix could see past every bluff she fronted. It was why they could never fully be friends, even when their sons were smaller, and innocent, playing at the park around the corner from the houses they used to live in.

In many respects, Phoenix considered them too much alike. They could pass as sisters if trying desperately enough. Their facial structures were nearly identical, though Phoenix had thinner lips and held her body in a way that would make king's bow down to her, and Acylone had shoulder length chestnut hair, which she had passed on to her son. Their eyes could be taken as familial. Their cheekbones were high and regal. Even their jawbones had the same narrow descent. They liked the same coffee, the same music.

But their personalities betrayed them as completely different woman, one cold and the other forgiving. Though it was hard to tell at times which was which, considering one of them played their faults to the worst, and the other played her skills. Phoenix could lie when faced with a gun, and Acylone couldn't, not even to save her life.

Phoenix's face shadowed with comical confusion. "Like a circus conductor…?" She asked innocently, mentally smirking, when her brunette counterpart shot her a curious glare.

"You mean you don't know what I'm talking about?" She asked, taking an elegant sip of her hot chocolate. She set the cup down on the tray, dabbing her lips with a napkin before resuming her previous hobby of looking at Phoenix expectantly.

To look at them, one would also recognize another difference between them. Acylone sat prim and proper in her seat, legs crossed elegantly in the expensive suit she wore for her work at her law firm. Phoenix sat a form-fitting t-shirt with the logo of the bar she worked at painted across her, admittedly, small chest. She had her jeans on, the ones that always got her extra tips and winks. Normally if they had met during the week, she would be in her secretary clothing, and thus would look nearly the same as Acylone. She was glad for once she could see such a stark difference between them.

"So, you're not talking about the leprechaun I live with, also conspicuously named Roxas?" She asked, running her fingers threw her long blonde hair. She didn't dare take a drink from her apple cider, because she knew she would mirror Acylone's image, appearing just as cold and rigid.

Acylone smiled graciously, seeming to have picked up on Phoenix's stray thought. She chose wisely when she said nothing. Nothing regarding her drink at least. "I'm talking about the fact that your son is…" She lowered her voice, "is a _homosexual_!"

Her blonde haired counterpart smiled humorlessly. "How'd you figure that out?" She giggled maliciously. "Did you see him trying to rape your son?" She quirked a brow, still smiling that cold grin, when Acylone reared back as if she had just been hit.

Acylone found nothing funny about the statement. "It's true! I heard it from a very reliable source." She pressed.

"And this source wouldn't happen to be a blabber-mouth by the name of Ollete…would it, Acylone?"

"I'm not a rat!" She snapped, testily.

Phoenix snorted—very un-lady-like, she could just hear it running witlessly in the other's mind. "No, you're a snake. Zodiacally speaking," she smirked with cold satisfaction that the words still had the same effect on the brunette.

The brunette's eyes narrowed, in what most had always considered a dangerous manner, but Phoenix only found it to be irritating, and headache inducing. "Are you trying to say you knew?" She speculated shrewdly.

"How could I not? He is my son, and he_ trusts_ me enough to tell me his dirty and grueling secrets." The trust thing. One of Acylone's several weak points. Phoenix had woven it personally as their children became older, but Sora's mother couldn't repeat what the boy was doing for the afternoon, yet Phoenix could tell anyone what Roxas, and at times, Sora, was doing for the next three weeks.

And just as she had suspected it would, the off-hand comments sparked a flare in her eyes. "My son trusts me too!" she yelled angrily.

"I'm sure he does," She said with a cold, satisfied smirk.

"What wouldn't he tell me?"

"What_ would_ he is more the question I keep pondering." The blonde hmm-ed under her breath, but still loud enough for her to hear.

"I don't know what you're trying to_ imply_ here,_ Phoenix_, but my son loves and trusts me!"

"I'm sure."

"At least my son isn't a_ fag_!"

Another cruel smile spread across the blonde's lips. "To the best of your knowledge," she glared.

"My son couldn't be!" Acylone glared.

"Neither could mine." Phoenix shot back.

&$&$&$&$&$&

"Wow. I've never been in your place before," Kairi breathed out as she took as step into the expensive, but lived-in, looking apartment on the thirteenth floor. The wooden floors were covered in designer rugs, and the walls were a beautiful well-kept beige. The walls were lit with round lights, making the rooms and walls glow. Along the walls, Kairi could see paintings hanging on the wall, authentic, even to the untrained eye.

Yuffie shrugged, "Well, our place," she said, watching as Kairi went to pull off her sneakers. Yuffie didn't bother; she just walked across the floor, tracking dew, grass, and leaves across the floor. Kairi followed behind her hesitantly, faltering as she heard curses and explosions from the room Yuffie was entering. "These are the boys," the student-teacher yelled over the living room television, with a nonchalant wave in their general direction. "Rude. Reno. Reno's an asshole. Rude doesn't talk much. Pick your poison." Yuffie said with no hint of humor in her tone.

"Nice to meet you!" Kairi yelled too

"It always is." Reno, the one closest to her, said, twirling the controller in his hand to get his character to do what he wanted. He looked a bit like Axel Wise did, in respect to the hair colour and seemingly untamable way it sprouted up oddly at whatever angle it wanted.

Rude just nodded his acknowledgement. He was further away from her, and calmly sat tapping the controller buttons, unlike Reno who looked like he was about ready to snap the controller with all of the button-pounding he was doing. His head was shaved, and, odd, even in the darkened room he had his sunglasses on.

"See what I mean?" Yuffie sighed, with a roll of her eyes. "Come help me in the kitchen," She said to Kairi. She gave Reno's appearance a once over before smiling sweetly. "Reno when you lose, you need to do the dishes."

Reno scoffed. "I'm not going to—NO!" He suddenly hopped off of the chair, throwing his controller at the ground angrily. He stared at the television screen in horror before he looked to Rude, and then to Yuffie, fixing her with a look Kairi couldn't place.

Yuffie obviously could though, because she smiled and waved her fingers at him, saying, "Toodles," before she tore away from the doorway, running to what was presumably the kitchen.

&$&$&$&$&$&

Namine sat in the passenger seat of her little car, hugging her blanket carefully to her chest. Marly was driving, leading a moving van through the outer-streets of her home town. She had been sleeping earlier, as it was damn near two in the morning, but she found she couldn't with dreams of her friends shocked and crestfallen faces, her family's disappointment, her goal and dreams left behind at the city borders.

It had been seven when she called Marluxia on her cell phone, telling him to pack his house, while she packed her room as silently as she could. She had stored most of her clothes into a duffle bag, and taken a few precious pieces of jewelry, things that meant the world to her. A necklace Kairi had given to her on her sixteenth birthday, her grandmother's engagement ring, the dolphin anklet her father had given her when she was six. She also had a few keepsakes with her. The posters of angels that she had hung on her wall, a crystal statue of a fairy Axel and Roxas had given her one Christmas. Things she couldn't bear to live without.

She needed the memories to help her through this drastic step. She needed them to help ease her guilt about telling no one that she was leaving. Causing her family so much unhappiness, her friends to worry… But she knew if she told them, they would find her and take her back somehow. Maybe get a restraining order put on her fiancé. She almost couldn't decipher which was worse loss of friends or family, or loss of the one thing that made her happy.

But she had made her choice, and had spent the last five hours helping Marluxia pack his house and bargain with the movers to move his plants. Every single one of them. It wasn't very efficient, and some things were sure to be broken by the time they got to their new home in Midgar. But Namine felt that this was worth it. Leaving her friends, family, breaking probably more things than they had kept safe…It was all worth it to be with Marluxia, if only for a fleeting moment.

She looked back at the fading lights of the city, too much like her memories. She tried to imagine the look of everyone's face when they found out she was gone…for good. She could see Axel's slumped shoulders with his hair pulled back from his neck, as he so often did when he was sad. She could imagine Roxas leaning on Sora for comfort, and almost smiled at the thought that they, like her, had found happiness in this blackening world. She could imagine her father, yelling at her mother that 'this was all her fault!'

She tried not to imagine her mother at all. So confused with her inner conflicts. Wondering whether she should pity her mother, or feel smug that all she could see in her mind was her mother standing in her doorway, looking in at the pulled out empty drawers, her jewelry box in disarray, and bare walls…_ crying_.

She pulled back from the thought before she could get carried away from it. Her mother disserved this. She_ deserved_ it! And she kept repeating that thought in her mind as she turned around and pulled the blanket higher over her arms to ward away the cold that she could feel seeping in through the passenger side window. She deserved it, she said again in her mind.

This was what she got for treating Namine as if she were six, or worse; as if she were a dog! Namine was eighteen, had been for a few weeks. When she told her mother that she was engaged to Marluxia, she had expected to be treated as an adult, but no…

"_You can't marry him. I forbid it!"_

Her mother's words came unbidden into her mind, and she felt she_ had_ to smirk. Her mom could forbid anything she wanted. She could forbid the very air that Marluxia breathed, but he seemed to be doing just fine in the driver's seat. Breathing in and out, in defiance.

Just like Namine was doing.

Her smirk widened. She had fixed her mother's wagon. And she would do it over and over again, as she married Marluxia, stayed married to him, had kids with him, and grew old with him.

She would not regret this!

…but her mother sure as hell would.

Looking over to her pink-haired fiancé, she smiled fully, grabbing his hand that rested on the center console, and lacing her fingers through his. He didn't look away from the road but he squeezed her fingers in reassurance.

No. This would not be a mistake.

&$&$&$&$&$&

Riku had been sick most of the weekend. He had a cold or something, but the point was that he was exhausted. Too exhausted to go with Axel to the grocery store. Axel hadn't seemed to mind, really. Riku gave him the number to his bank account, and he had kissed Riku on the forehead before leaving him to a 'Colombo' marathon and a book that they were required to read in English.

He hadn't read two pages before Axel came wheeling back in yelling up a storm so fast Riku could barely understand the words he had been speaking. All he had been able to do was scrunch back into his seat, feeling fear of what Axel was saying. Even if he couldn't understand a lick of it, he knew this was bad.

Axel strode about the house knocking pictures off shelves and wall. Smashing his fist into the living room sheetrock. His face was red and his hair was flying about wildly as he ranted and raved, snapping his head to look where he was hitting and then look back and glare at Riku like he was the spawn of all evil.

The only thing Riku had truly been able to understand was Axel saying, "You're a stupid fucking whore and I never should have kissed you that day in the library." With that Axel had stormed out of the house, leaving Riku alone, breathing hard and trying to quell down unshed tears.

Later, after Riku had moved to the kitchen to on legs he wasn't sure could carry him, Axel came in holding a bag of groceries, and whistling a tune that Riku had never heard before. He came into the kitchen with an air of confidence, setting the bags on the counter and saying a quick, "Hey, Riku," to the lunar haired teen behind him. Robotically, the redhead began putting the groceries away, and it wasn't until he turned around to put some food into the refrigerator that he noticed his boyfriend was in his seat, hyperventilating and practically glaring daggers at him with his red, tear-filled eyes.

His brows knitted in worry as he walked towards his boyfriend carefully. "Riku, what happened?"

"Wh-What happened?!" Riku surged. "How DARE you! What happened?"

"Riku, calm the fuck down." Axel said, kneeling down on the floor to set himself equal with Riku's blood-shot eyes. "What happened?" He asked again, his worry making his heart pound in his ears and his breathing labored.

"You come into my house and yell at me! You tell me that I'm a stupid, fucking WHORE, and now you're asking me what…"

Axel pressed his hand over Riku's mouth, staring dead into his eyes. "Riku," He said evenly. "I didn't say any of that." Slowly he released Riku's mouth, still staring into his eyes that were now releasing tears.

"Don't insult my memory. I'm not stupid." Riku snapped. He had been so sure Axel wasn't going to come back, and he had been wallowing perfectly in misery. But his misery was put on hold that Axel actually had the gall to come back and act as if nothing had happened. "You left and then not even two seconds later you came charging in here with something stuck way up your ass, and you started calling me stupid, and worthless, and…and…and a whore!"

And that was what had stung the most. Since they had been 'dating' Axel had only brought up prostitution as a concerned lover. Begging him to stop going. Never once in the month they had been staying together had he insinuated Riku to being a whore, and no matter if it was the truth or not, Riku had felt some redemption in the thought that Axel didn't see him as some sort of sex puppet. For Axel to do so after he had stopped going to Hollywood and 10th was just salt in the wound.

Axel pushed his hand back over Riku's mouth. "Riku," He said, as if indulging a five year old. "I never came back into this house. I just got home from the grocery store."

Riku pushed the pale hand away from his face. "Bullshit!" He spat.

"Riku! It was all in your head." Axel said, pulling Riku's face to look at him squarely in the eyes.

He reared back from the poison-green eyes in front of him, saying vehemently, "No, it was…" Then suddenly, he took a sharp breath. "What…what did you say?" He demanded his voice filling with terror.

Axel looked sad, as he repeated in a heavy tone, "It was all in your head, baby. It was all in your head." He threaded his fingers threw Riku's long silver hair and started to message his head.

Riku stumbled back, pulling away from Axel and nearly knocking both his redhead and his seat over in his attempt to stand. He stared at Axel with wide, scared eyes, his hand going over his mouth as he though about the words Axel had just spoken.

"No," He said after a while. "No. It wasn't in my head! You're just using that. You want to make me think I'm crazy!" He shook his head refusing to believe. "You know I'll think that I'm getting Angel's disease. You just want me to believe you because…because you know h—how wrong…" He stumbled to a loss for his words, looking down at the ground as even more tears came to his eyes. His breathing was coming in short gasps and, after standing there for a full minute he threw his hands into his hair and tugged. "You just realized you were wrong," He tried again nodding. "You're just telling me that—that it was in my head so I'll think I have Angel's disease and…and take you back!" He looked back up to Axel, looking at him as if he would say—even if that was what had really happened – that Riku was right.

Axel stood slowly. "Riku," He said calmly. "That doesn't make sense, even in your own head."

Riku shook his head in agreement, and he sniffed. His hands were no longer pulling on his hair, but now pushing into his temples as he tried to sort out what had happened to him. He didn't feel anything. It was all seamless. There had been nothing that had made it seem like an 'episode', but Axel…Axel wouldn't do that to him in real life. He wouldn't. He wouldn't.

I don't have Angel's disease. I don't have Angel's disease. I don't…

_Oh, but you do don't you?_ The nasty little voice was back; his appearance even less wanted than it was when it had tried to talk him out of kissing Axel._ You knew that. I knew that. Just because you wish it away doesn't mean it's going to listen. No higher being likes you that much, and once you've been formally diagnosed with Angel's disease, Axel won't like you much either._ The voice snickered._ Oh this is going to be too fun to watch._

Riku whined pathetically at the words the mean voice whispered in his head. He stomped his foot, and hit his temples with his hands repeatedly until they were being grabbed, and held down by his sides. He opened his eyes and looked up at the figure that hovered above him, gazing at him nervously. He felt a stab of pain at the fact that this person would soon leave him alone in this house that was much too big for him.

_Oh but that would be fair, wouldn't it? That's what you did to Sephiroth, you worthless piece of filth._ He squeezed his eyes shut, begging for it to go away. He didn't realize he had spoken his plea out loud until he was in a bone-crushing hug, and he heard his redhead whispering that he wasn't going anywhere, no matter how much he may want him to.

"Please tell me you're fucking with me, Axel?" He whispered into the other's chest. "Please. Please, please, please just tell me this is a cruel joke." More tears moved down his cheeks as he moved his arms under Axel's jacket and clenched the t-shirt under with ferocity. "I'll even forgive whatever you said," he continued. "Just tell me this isn't really happening."

"I wish I could."

Later, when Riku walked into the living room, the walls were flawless, and the pictures set on their shelves unbroken.

&$&$&$&$&$&

Larxene stared down at the paper in horror.

A baby! How could she have been so stupid?

What the hell had she done wrong? Who…who was—a wave of nausea hit her—the father? Oh, god, this was world-shattering. Life-threatening. All those other hyphenated words that meant instant horror in her eyes!

She put her hand to her forehead and attempted to calm herself by taking deep even breaths. It didn't work. Her hands were shaking, and her heart was thundering inside her ribcage.

A child! A child? Why couldn't she have some_ death-inducing_ disease? What the hell was she going to do with a child! She could barely take care of herself. She didn't have a job; she sure as hell didn't want to tell the 'father'. Her parents, oh, her parents would freak and she would be out of the house before you could say, "stroller"! And Axel…Jiminy Cricket what would he think of her!

She could just see the disappointment in his eyes right now.

NO! No, no, no! She couldn't do this. There had to be a way to get rid of this…this…_thing_ without anyone knowing! Adoption. Lot's of people were looking for a child but couldn't have one. Of course, she had read a lot of stories on the internet of what happened to adopted children. Slavery, abuse,_ worse_! She didn't think she could stomach the thought that she had force something into that lifestyle…especially thinking of the verbal abuse her parents had lashed at Axel, and he was her father's actual son.

She_ could_—her stomach lurched—get an abortion. Oh, but no she couldn't! She would never be able to live with herself.

But she couldn't raise this child. There was no way. She couldn't handle a baby. She would never be able to help another human being get through life…_ look what she had done to the people around her_! And that was only being being associated with them! If she had a child…oh, she could only imagine the therapy it would need.

She couldn't do that to a child. Not her own child. But she couldn't get rid of it.

God, she needed to talk to someone. She needed someone to console her.

But who could she call? There was no one.

No one at all.

&$&$&$&$&$&

School came again that Monday, but Kairi didn't go. She felt distraught and out of sorts.

Her mother had called the Saturday before, while she had been watching Reno and Rude play video games, and declared in an unfathomable tone, that Namine had run away with her cradle-robbing boyfriend. Her mind was in such shock, she hadn't even thought before she corrected her mother.

"_It's Namine's fiancé."_

"_So, you knew?"_

She didn't quite understand how that was important._ "You knew?"_ Of course, she knew! Namine told Kairi everything before she even thought to tell the rest of their families. At one point, Namine had actually liked Kairi, and the habits of their friendship had yet to wear off in the time they had spent virtually against each other.

She pressed her head into her hand. Oh, but no. Namine couldn't tell her she was leaving. No one had known, and in the back of her mind somewhere, that had made sense. To tell someone you were leaving would entail someone trying to stop you from going. It made sense, truly it did. But why couldn't she have told Kairi at least?

Well, that made sense too. Towards the end there, Kairi had become Namine's personal anti-Christ. Everything Namine hated—self-absorption, hypocrisy, bitchiness—Kairi personified to a tee.

So, she was still at Yuffie's, alone mostly. Yuffie had had to resume her position as a student teacher, and Rude was asleep in his room after having come home from his graveyard shift early that morning. Reno…was_ out_. And in the silence of the living room, sitting on Yuffie's couch, she began to remember every terrible thing she had said to or around Namine, and it was a plentiful list. And each time her mind replayed her lines, she shrank further and further into the couch, hoping silently that the leather would somehow come alive and swallow her.

She shrieked at the feeling of someone's hand on her shoulder, then, grabbing the first thing her hand landed on—the remote—swung her arm around to hit the offender. The remote collided noisily with the man's jaw, letting out a sickening 'crack', before Kairi realized with a cold start that it was only Reno.

&$&$&$&$&$&

Monday morning was a breakdown-inducing process for Riku. At seven in the morning, Aerith had come by his house and picked him up to go to the hospital for a screening with one of the doctor's who treated Angel's disease. The woman had said that it would take many more observations of Riku, but from what she had heard, she was 'sorry to say, but it does look like he has Angel's disease'. The stage was left out completely, as was when these observations would be.

Riku wasn't sure whether or not to be happy about the brief lack of information. He wanted to be left in the dark, to live life as if he had never even heard of the damn disease. But, then again, if it was only first stage, he felt that he should know, so he could get the therapy he needed and just carry on with life.

And then going to school…

It felt like school was more and more of a hassle with each day he showed up. The classes moved to quickly and he was slowly becoming aware of the fact that he couldn't keep up with the pace. He felt lost, and it was only the second week back. His focus was shot to hell and had the terrifying feeling that it was because he had a more developed case of his family's disease. When he looked at the board it was nothing but…chaos! His mind couldn't wrap around the words at all. They might as well have been speaking to him in another language, and for his first hour class, his teacher really was.

It was days like this he wished that Axel had been transferred to all of his classes. Whereas before he felt threatened by his redhead's presence, now he felt an acute sense of anxiousness without him. His skin felt hypersensitive, and everyone passing by him made him jump. His head was constantly buzzing. He couldn't focus worth a damn, which did not go unnoticed, especially by Vexen, who kept pulling him aside after every class to 'discuss his winter holidays'.

Worst of all, he had an overwhelming sense of dread that something bad was going to happen. He felt like he was being watched, and when he didn't have that feeling his anxiousness only doubled.

He snorted.

He was losing his mind.

Just as suddenly as the thought flitted through his mind he was pulled between two buildings; the same two, he noted vaguely that he had forced Axel into the first time they had…ahem, done the 'dirty'. For a moment he almost thought it was Axel too, as lately he had a habit of popping up when the worst of thoughts were on Riku's mind, but it wasn't. Not a moment after he had been dragged in the shadowed alleyway—so to speak—he was slammed against the bricks in a none too gentle fashion, and found himself staring face to face with Seifer and Rai, the latter of which held him firmly against the wall.

This day just kept escalating to the top of his 'Worst Day Ever' list. But being held against a wall by an ogre and facing a shit that he had beat the teeth out of was slowly becoming nothing at all on his list.

Because Seifer smiled a sinister smile that months ago wouldn't have fazed him in the slightest, and then he chuckled, giving Riku a hungry once-over. "You know, I never thought the name 'Hollywood' referred to anything more than your super-star attitude." He leered, leaning forward so an ominous shadow covered his face and made his eyes glint coldly, "Who would have guessed that your barbed tongue could have so many uses."

Riku's blood ran cold in his veins, freezing him more efficiently than the cold January air. His breath caught in his throat, and his eyes bulged in his skull. But he remembered who he was dealing with. This was only Seifer. He had beaten him into a bloody pulp once; he could do it again, even with the sleaze's crony here.

Pulling out his best glare he told Seifer in a deadly even voice, "They gave you good medication at the hospital, didn't they?"

Seifer didn't rise to the bait. He snorted, actually. "You can't throw me off. I know what you do. Rai's brother here was on of you customers." He said, patting the rock troll on the shoulder, reminding Riku much of an owner with his dog. Rai stepped away from him then, and Seifer took his place, only standing much closer to Riku. He looked over the lunar-haired teen again; his lust clearly evident in his gaze, and it took all of Riku's will-power not to give in. Not to push him away, or squirm against the wall.

But his anxiousness was clearly written all over his face. Seifer smirked "Here's the proposition I'm going to give you," Seifer whispered into Riku's ear. "You get to be my little_ bitch_ any time, anywhere, anyway I want and your dirty little secret stays between us…"

"Eat dirt, dickwad!"

"You haven't heard the other part of the proposition," The blonde tsked. "If you don't like that idea, you can get cozy with the idea of the_ entire_ school knowing your little after school hobby. And I do mean the entire school." He smirked victoriously. "Wonder what that would do to you. Your friendships, because I know that little brunette boy you cherish so much doesn't know. What about the little redhead bitch? Does your uncle know?"

Riku looked away, his eyes wide with every passing scenario of all those he held dear finally finding out what he was doing almost every night for two and a half years prior to January.

They heard footsteps coming and Rai instantly let go of Riku. Seifer didn't step away from Riku though. In fact, he took a step closer to where he was only an inch away from Riku, his mouth hovering uncomfortably close to his ear as he whispered, "Well?"

Riku glared at him, though it was weak with the immobilizing fear he was feeling. With a churning stomach and a knot in his throat he managed to whimper out, "Go to hell."

The footsteps became louder, and Seifer took a hurried step away from him as he heard someone call, "Riku?"

"Axel! Axel, I—I'm here!" He choked around the lump in his throat.

"That was the wrong answer," He said with ice practically forming on every syllable. A smile formed on his lips as he looked to Rai. "I just can't wait to see everyone's reaction!" He said jovially. But the joyous mood he was in was quickly dampened as Riku's saving grace rounded the corner. Seifer quickly grabbed Rai and they ran off before Axel was close enough to see who they had been.

Riku was left leaning against the wall, though he was slowly sliding down it. Nausea washed through him. What had he set himself up for?_ Everyone_ was going to know! His uncle, Kairi, Roxas…Sora. He put his face in his hands miserably as his redhead came closer and closer. The world beneath him was spinning. His head felt heavy; his hands were shaking so bad! He realized his entire body must be shaking as well, because when Axel reached his side, he leaned down to try to feel his forehead which was still being held in his hands.

"Riku, are you alright? Class has started…"

Riku felt the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes. His life was ruined! Axel had been right when he said that anyone could see him. They just didn't have to see him with their own eyes. Rai's brother had been one of his customers! Oh, and he remembered the day it must have clicked in the stupid cave-troll's head. He remembered a man who looked vaguely like Rai running after him calling his name… he had even seen Rai. That was why he had gone home that night, without even taking a customer.

Tears fully formed in his eyes as he realized that he probably wouldn't make it through the day before the entire school knew about him. The look on their faces… "Axel, help."

&$&$&$&$&$&

A/N: Okay here's the breakdown. I've got one more REAL chapter. Then I've got the final chapter/epilogue combination. I would ramble more but you all have been waiting long enough so if I waste more time typing…I may be scalped.

Toodles!

InnocentGuilt


	23. Joy and Sorrow

_In joy and sorrow, my home's in your arms  
In a world so hollow, it's breaking my heart- by HIM_

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"See you tomorrow," Sora said with one last kiss to Roxas after they had stepped out of the Q building. They made sure to hide in the shadow of the doorway, because Sora's mother had decided to pick him up from school in the last week, and she normally came from the west side of the building. So they sat where they knew there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell for Acylone to see them. If she did…Sora would prefer not to think about it, but he and Roxas both knew Sora's life would end, or come fairly close to it.

Roxas nodded in agreement with a brief smile and waved as he walked away when he started out for his mother's car. He had only just stepped onto the dead, stiff grass when he heard a honk behind him, and his heart plummeted comically at the mere sound of a horn behind him. There was no other horn on the planet that could squeal like his mother's. It fit her perfectly in an almost terrifying way; what with its ability to make fear pulse through anyone's veins.

His mother had parked on the East side of the Q building today. Oh, god…

He turned back to glance at Roxas who was waving happily at his mother as if nothing had intimately transpired between them. There could be a chance… he looked back at his mother and found her waving back at Roxas with a smile. With a sigh of relief, he felt as if he had actually managed to effectively conceal that kiss. He would only have to make sure that their goodbye's were said inside away from anywhere there was even a chance his mom could see.

That thought tucked away in his mind Sora crawled into his mother's high mileage economy car.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Reno rested an icepack on his jaw, where Kairi had smacked him with the remote, looking up at Kairi like a beaten little boy, pout and all. He hadn't said anything to her past when she had first hit him, where he had yelled, "Hell in a hand-basket! Someone, someone get me a sedative!"

And she had been much too busy kicking herself for even breathing to have some manners for apology. She simply kept walking around the three friend's living room, smacking herself on her forehead, and debating on whether she should make her suicide quick and painless or long and drawn out.

"Did you just murder someone?"

She was thrown for such a loop in that one question; startled away from her train of morbid thought; and honestly just so strung up with stress she could help herself. She broke down into laughter…and tears at the same time. Harsh laughter escaped her at the same time she tried to inhale to continue a sob. Tears escaped from her eyes and fell to the ground, to where she was slowly following. Her hand covered her mouth as she made full contacts with the ground, holding herself up with her knees and one arm.

Over her laughing sobs, or sobbing laughter, she heard Reno asked, "Ar-are you okay?"

And for the life of her, she just couldn't deign to lie to him.

"NO!" She yelled as quickly as she could before she was overcome with more sobs, the laughter dying away as she realized just how not okay she truly was. She was not okay. She was a horrible, evil, cold-hearted shrew. She was hypocritical. She was judgmental with unfounded information. She was useless, and unneeded.

And Namine had been right.

Reno still sat on the couch, looking at Kairi with a look of horror. He could barely drum up enough courage to ask her, "Sh-Should I call Yuffie…or-or take you home."

"No, no. I'm fine." She sniffed waving him off. "I'll—be fine in just…" She took a deep breath, trying to calm her pathetic hiccups, "Just a moment," she finally said. She looked up at the ceiling, trying to keep the tears from coming back to her red-rimmed eyes. When she was sure there would be no more crying, she swiped at her eyes, thankful that she wasn't wearing make-up today as she normally would.

She sniffed again, and looked over at Reno, who looked uncomfortable. And he was, he had never before in his life seen a woman cry. He had only ever been associated with Yuffie and Tifa, both of whom were more likely to make men cry than to actually cry themselves. She gave him a sad smile, and asked pleadingly, "Will you listen to me?"

Thankful that Reno nodded, she began to tell him exactly how horrible a person she was, realizing with each sentence she spoke how much more of bitch she really was. She told him about everything she had said about Riku and Axel, including the day she had told Namine that they were barely in their futures. She told him about the terrible things she had said to Roxas, or any of the other people who weren't in her immediate group of friends. She told him what she had done to Namine, making their entire family hate her fiancé. And finally what Namine had told her, and how right she was.

"I've said such terrible things to and about all of them," She finished with a self-agreeing nod.

Reno let out a low whistle, nodding slowly while staring at the floor. "If there was a picture by the word bitch, I'd have to agree, it would be yours." Kairi snorted, appreciative that he didn't sugar-coat what he wanted to say. "It's not to say you're as bad a person as you say you are though," Reno said, as seriously as he could get away with. Reno was not one who could easily sit down and have a normal conversation with. "Your thoughts are…unwarranted when said, and, yeah, you should probably actually be on speaking terms with the person you're judging, but calling it as you see it doesn't mean you're 'evil'.

He looked her in the eyes, "It takes more courage than most people think to speak your mind. A lot of people like to sugar coat everything they say so they don't hurt anyone's feelings. But it would help if you actually knew why you were saying what you were saying when you said it, if you know what I mean."

She smiled, sadly, and short-cited what he had just said to her, "Say what you like as long as you have all the facts when you do so."

He cocked his head at her, "Hey, that's what I said. No paraphrasing!"

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

When Sora's mother parked in their driveway, he noticed that his father's truck was nowhere to be found. He normally didn't leave his truck at home, but on Monday's he usually car-pooled with a man named Vince, so his car was always left his vehicle. Sora asked, cautiously, noting how his mother had been scarily quiet the entire ride home, "Where's dad?"

"He went on a business trip for the week." She said coldly, getting out of the car and walking swiftly to the house. Sora was right behind her, trying to keep pace with her long legs. She stormed into the house, her son jogging behind her, and before Sora could properly shut the door, she whirled around, glaring daggers at her one and only child. "Pack your shit and get out of my house."

Sora felt his stomach plummet. He stopped even trying to close the door, and looked at her with shock and apprehension. "What? Mom…"

"I don't want you in my home." She snapped. "I don't want you soiling my furniture, you little fag. Get out of my house now!"

"You…mom, what?" Sora couldn't wrap his head around what she was saying. He didn't think…

"Did you think I didn't see you?" She hissed. "Did you think I didn't see you practically mauling your little boyfriend?" Sora looked into her eyes, seeing only hatred. Not motherly love that he had once seen in her eyes, regardless of what he was. "You disgust me!" She finished on a quiet note, which was what hurt Sora all the more. "I'm ashamed to call you my son. Now get your things and get out."

He looked back at her for a moment, feeling everything that she had ever said about most of his friends directed to him. He had always expected this day to come, but he hadn't expected the pain that would come with her words. He had heard it so many times, and had hated her for saying it so often that he had been sure that he would hate her too much to care what she said. But he did. In the end she was still his mother, and she was supposed to love him, goddamn it!

But she didn't, and that was all the mattered. He had to leave his home that he had always felt was a cage so many other times, because she hated him. Not what he was, she hated him!

He nodded, sullenly, walking up the stairs; the door left open a little, because he still hadn't shut it. He packed everything he could into his messenger bag, then going to his closet he pulled out a duffle bag and poured even more of his clothing into it. When he went back downstairs his mother was nowhere to be seen, but the door was still open, as if her invitation for him to get out.

He locked and shut the door behind him, out of habit, and he made his way to Roxas' house. He knew Phoenix would take him in, she had been telling Sora she was practically his second mother for years now. He would live with them for a while, he nodded to himself.

He didn't notice until later that night that he had left his cell phone in his mother's car. He missed six calls, all of them from Riku, all of them begging him to meet him at the school early tomorrow.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Larxene settled down in Elysian Field's Graveyard in front of a headstone she hadn't visited since…well, since she had basically lost all self-respect.

Three years. Three long years of being the world's biggest slut and this is what it had narrowed down to. She was alone. Her parents had found out yesterday, and kicked her out so fast she hadn't even had time to blink. All of her belongings—mostly her clothing, skanky and not—were at a friend's house, while she looked for a more permanent place to stay, and a job at that.

She couldn't go see her brother. Riku was sick and lord only knew what she would do to the poor boy if he saw her. He'd go into some sort of shock from which he couldn't escape knowing her luck this year.

Tracing the name in the headstone she snorted. It was barely halfway through the first month of the New Year…and her life had gone to complete and utter shit! She was pregnant without a home, a job, a family. She knew that it was all her fault. She knew if she had been what her parents wanted her to be, that she wouldn't be here, in a graveyard, feeling the most content she had felt all year. But it didn't make it any easier.

She felt cheated by everything, everyone! Everyone except the person under the ground she was currently sitting on.

She sighed.

Under the name were the words, 'Wonderful mother, and friend to everyone'.

She could be the person under the ground in a few years, and what would her stone say? She kept telling herself there was no way she could keep her child, so she could never be wonderful, not to a child or anyone else. And she wasn't a friend to everyone. Hers would probably say something plain and useless, like, 'She will be missed.' Something that made it sound sad that she was dead, but truthfully the day after her funeral everyone would forget she had ever been put on the earth.

A pang of hurt filled her heart, but she didn't let it show on her face. She never had around…"Hi, Lenore," She whispered lovingly to the stone. "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you in so long. Tell you the truth I probably wouldn't be here now, but…"

She looked down at the picture that had been set into the stone. It was of Lenore with Axel, barely two, pressed close to her side. She was smiling as she stared at her son, rubbing his unruly hair away from his eyes. Larxene closed her eyes, remembering the woman she had always felt held more love in her pinky finger than her actual mother had in her entire body.

She had been tall too. That was where Axel got his unearthly height from. Mother and son also shared the exact same hair color, and their smile; that was the same too. That was why she loved her brother's smile so much; it had always reminded her of the kind woman who had given birth to him. The only thing they really didn't share, as Larxene had always said, was their eyes. Lenore had the most beautiful blue eyes that Larxene had sworn were silver. And they were always filled with so much love. There wasn't a time when Lenore had looked at Axel or even Larxene that love hadn't shined in those irises. She had loved them both. She had loved all children.

But had there been even one moment when she first found out she was pregnant with Axel that Lenore had thought to herself, 'I can't do this…?' Had there been just one second? If there had it would make Larxene feel better. She would feel like she wasn't such a…a…a terrible person. But she knew deep down in her heart that Lenore had found out she was pregnant and immediately jumped with joy. Lenore was just that kind of woman.

Larxene sighed, again. "Lenore, I'm going to have a baby," she told the stone, harshly. "I'm having a baby and I have no fucking clue on what to do." The sun suddenly seemed to have shined only on her for a moment, because she was warm now. Closing her eyes, she let herself believe that it was Lenore, putting her arms around her, like she had just before she had gone into the hospital. She could imagine Lenore smiling and telling her encouraging things. Telling her she could keep the baby, and be just as happy as she had been with Axel. Warning that it wouldn't be easy, but that Larxene could do it, if she really wanted to and in the end just seeing her child's face would make it all worth while.

Breathing in deep the cool winter air, Larxene felt…she felt it was her duty to try. She could be a good mother. She could make it work. She would just work hard, and she would live simply, and she would do her best to be just like Lenore. She would love her child like Lenore had loved her Axel.

For some reason that didn't put her at peace, but she had a plan now. Opening her eyes, she didn't speak again to the stone, the picture, or the grass. She just let the odd comfort of a simple name on granite stone fill her.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

Sora had been welcome at Roxas' house, and both of them told him he would be welcome for many more days to come. Roxas was shocked that his mother had kicked him out like that. He had known she was a homophobe, but, as Roxas had screeched, Sora was still her son! But Phoenix had been outraged, and had looked a bit guilty for a reason Sora couldn't honestly fathom. She had told him to stay as long as he like, then with a sad smile she had said he had better like to stay there forever. And whereas the idea was nice, he didn't think he could live there and stress Phoenix out with one more mouth to feed.

He was stressed that he was stressing her out, and stressed about having to leave his home, his father. He didn't know what to do. He didn't…

School. He didn't even want to think about school. Whereas at the beginning of the year it had been great, wonderful, he was almost out! He didn't want to leave now. He was afraid to death about what was on the other side of the door now that he didn't have his parents to fall back on. What would he do? He had always wanted to go to the Academy, but it seemed mute now that he didn't have his mother or father's money to help get him through. He was rather beginning to wish he could fail so he could stay inside the safe, free walls of his high school forever.

And to top it all off, he had lost his god damn cell phone.

All of this circled in his mind as he walked to school, mixed and mingled a bit in the courtyard, and just generally waited for the first bell to ring. He felt wrong, in his skin and in his mind. He had never been one to be especially stressed. He could be stressed but it was never this bad. What was worse was that he felt the need to act like he was especially happy for all the people would didn't know him for anything but bubbly. And that mixed in with the stress was making him frustrated, bordering on angry.

He didn't feel like being touched, and everyone patted his back, or ruffled his hair. Roxas kept his hand linked through his own. There were too many people in the courtyard…too many…

He forced a smile as Ollete and Hayner walked towards him, "Hey, guys. What's up?" He asked them, with sunshine in his voice that he didn't feel at all.

They looked at him curiously, apprehension shining oddly in there eyes. "Is it true?" Ollete whispered conspiratorially. "What they're saying about Riku…is it true?"

The fake smile fell a little, and he went along with the whispering as he asked, "Who is they, and what is being said?" He leaned in, but noticed Roxas stayed away from the close faces with a look of disdain on his features.

"The entire school is talking about it," Hayner said. "They're all saying that Riku is a whore out on Hollywood and 10th. That he's been sleeping with men for money for the past two…maybe three years…"

They looked at Sora worriedly, but Sora for a moment could do nothing but smile. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell them that that was ridiculous. That if Riku had been doing…anything! Anything like that, Sora would know; Riku would tell him. But it died; the knowledge that Riku would tell him anything and the smile left him all at once as he remembered.

Leon and Cloud had seen him walking down Hollywood, around 17th street; late at night back in November…Axel had always called him Hollywood.

Sora practically heard the mental snap, and definitely felt it echo, pounding furiously against his skull.

Riku had rarely been home in the last two years. He almost never had his homework finished until he started those detentions with Vexen last semester. He was always tired. He never had time for his friends anymore…

And holy rusted metal, Batman; it all just fell into place.

He backed away from Hayner and Ollete, shaking himself loose of Roxas' grasp on the way back. He didn't want to be touched. He didn't want to be looked at. He didn't want spoken to. He was angry; angry and so damn confused he wondered if the world was really spinning or if it was just in his head. It didn't make sense that Riku wouldn't tell him…just didn't make sense. Sora was his best friend; he could tell Sora anything. Why hadn't he? Why hadn't…

"Sora?"

He spun on his heels to face the most familiar voice he had ever known.

Riku.

The lunar haired man stood cautiously away from the crowd, his stance hesitant. He looked ready to run, and he probably would have had Axel not been standing behind him with a terrifying glare that was sure to keep the Devil away. He met Sora's glare calmly, though, no matter how unsure he may have been.

"So that's what you've been doing for the past two years?" he snapped, his voice so cold that he could practically feel icicles forming on his teeth. "Selling your body to anyone that'll fuck you?" From behind him, Sora heard Roxas call his name in warning. He paid the tone no heed and continued, an accusatory glare perching itself in his solid, dark blue eyes. "Is Axel one of your clients? He pay you good money to see you on your knees?"

That earned him several people shouting his name in shock, and Axel taking a step closer to Sora, looking ready to disembowel him. Sora stood his ground, never flinching, never fully loading what was going on around him in him mind. The world had shrunk, and his eyes had tunnel vision. It was just him and Riku in the world, and the elder of the two was in for it.

"Sora, please. Let me explain…" Riku asked calmly, reaching out his hand for Sora.

It didn't register in Sora's mind that Riku's eyes shined with tears. In his angry rage he didn't realize that that was the only time in their entire history together that Sora had made Riku cry. Through all of his rage and confusion, he didn't even notice Axel seething at him, his eyes lightening to the colour of toxic green, as he yelled angrily at Sora. The only thing he focused on were his words, cold and calculated, methodical in their goal to cut threw Riku like a knife, and twisting them around so that Riku could understand, fully, just how angry Sora could get; just how real Sora could be. "You aren't denying it, Riku. Is that why you hated him so much? Because he knew? Did he reward you with silence for sex?"

Riku took a hesitant step towards him, his hand still outstretched, his eyes still shining, two tear tracks glistening in the sunlight of the cold January afternoon. "Sora, no. It's not…" He sniffed, "It's not like that. I swear it." He looked at the ground, Sora noticed with cold satisfaction, with fear. "I was going to tell you…"

He had taken a quick step forward trying to latch onto Sora, but the brunette stepped out of his reach, hissing, "Don't touch me!" The crowd around them gasped as Riku fell to the ground, knocking his elbows and knees hard.

There was a distant part of his mind that noticed a few people calling out to either himself or to Riku. A few taking hesitant steps towards the fallen heap that could once stare Sora into a ball, huddling in the corner. He still didn't notice Axel walking brusquely towards the two ensconced in the thick crowd. He didn't notice Roxas calling his name again, sounding nearly as dangerous as Sora did; sounding nearly as betrayed as Sora felt.

Sora glared at the bundle of disgusting something he wasn't even prepared to call human, as Riku looked up at him sadly, regretfully. Sora's lips curled as Riku laid his head back down against the freezing cement, and it wasn't until Axel kneeled beside the lunar-haired teen that Sora decided to speak again, pouring every bit of acid he could muster into his words as he said, "Don't bother helping him up. It should be a position he's used to by now."

Axel snapped his attention away from Riku completely as the words flew from Sora's lips without remorse. Standing quickly he stalked towards Sora with a look in his eyes that spelled murder out to the group around them. But he didn't make it to his feet, before Sora was shoved harshly against a tree not too far from the sidewalk. He felt jarred but his anger was still firmly intact as he shifted to look at the person who had pushed him into the tree; the person who was holding him firmly against the tree.

"Are you defending him too, Roxas? Knowing what he is? What he does?" Sora all but screeched at his boyfriend.

Roxas, who had been glaring dangerously at him, his hands still buried in the hoodie Sora was wearing, threw him to the ground with a vicious shout of, "Stop it, Sora!"

Sora looked back up to him, sprawled across the ground much like Riku was. He opened his mouth again to yell something else. Anything else! Just to let them all know what he thought! Just to let them all know what he felt! How could they not be just as confused that Riku had kept such a terrible secret from them all? How could they not be just as hurt that Riku didn't trust them?

His anger gave another roar, and he was just about to hurl exactly what he thought of Riku in everyone's face, but Roxas cut him off.

"Stop it!" He repeated, just as forcefully as the first time. "Just listen to yourself, Sora." Roxas took a step back, swiping his eyes, as they flashed with the same anger Sora felt. "You sound like your mother!"

The anger he felt dissipated rapidly from his vision, though the confusion stayed woven in his system. He looked around at the scene he had started, the people he had gathered. He looked at the teachers' and students' faces alike, seeing the horror and sadness they all stared between him and Riku with. He found Kairi in the crowd and she locked gazes with him, briefly, and he knew he had done far more than betray simple anger when she shook her head at him disbelievingly, and took a step back into the crowds, her mouth open in abject terror the entire time.

Looking back to where Riku was where he had left him—let him fall—on the ground, Sora realized the devastation he had wrought. Riku sobbed quietly into Axel's shoulder, his face twisted into a painful grimace, as he murmured something into the redhead's jacket. Whatever he said, the other had obviously agreed, as he picked them both from the cement steadied them both. Roxas went to them, obviously sure that Sora had been put in his place with that last blow he had thrown. His boyfriend talked to Axel briefly, and in that few seconds, with Axel still supporting most of his weight and Roxas standing off to the side, Riku looked up at him.

Tear tracks racing down his face. His nose was red, and it looked like he had scraped his right cheek when he collided with the ground. Though, Sora felt wretched for those, they were nothing compared to his eyes. His cool beach-ocean eyes that looked on the world with a guarded impairment, they were open. They hid nothing from the world around him as he stared painfully into Sora's eyes.

"Oh, god!" Sora whimpered his dirty hand flying over his mouth. He was going to be sick. What had he done? His stomach churned violently as he scrambled to his feet, headed into the building, pushing through the bathroom's swinging door, and into as stall, before he heaved his breakfast contents.

Sora had never seen Riku look so… broken!

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

"I'm so ashamed," Sora whispered into Roxas' neck as they lay on the blonde's bed in the house Roxas and his mother had moved into over the winter holidays. "I shouldn't have said all of that to Riku. I—I don't even remember most of what I did say…but I shouldn't have said it."

"You were hurt," Roxas said with a sympathetic hug, hugging his brunette closer to him.

"I was…I was! Why couldn't he tell me?" he asked, suddenly hurt mixing in with his shame.

"Realizing who you are, and being okay with it are two completely separate ideas, Sora. He didn't tell you because he wasn't fine with who he was."

"What?"

"I'm…I'm going to tell you something that I've never told anyone…ever!" He sighed painfully. "God, if you still love me after this, I'll never know why. I set my house on fire. The fireman said it was an accident; that a potholder must have been accidentally left on a running burner, but the truth is…I did it on purpose."

"You did what?"

"I was tired of my father never coming to see me…I thought—I thought if something tragic happened to me he would come to my rescue. He would come see me. So when I took the pan off of the stove that night, I just threw the pot holder back, behind me. When it landed on the burning burner, I saw it. But I didn't move it. I left it, and went to bed." Sora looked up into Roxas' shining eyes. "You think my aversion to showing people my scar is a vanity thing? No. It's because it's proof of just how stupid I can be."

"I never knew. Is that why you defended Riku so much? Because you could imagine yourself being there?"

"Something like that." Roxas whispered. "To error is human, but to forgive is godly."

Sora closed his eyes. "I do. Still love you, that is." He said, running his hand along the scar he had admired for so long.

"Do you still love Riku?"

"He's my best friend of course I do."

"You should tell him then."

"I'm not sure Axel would ever let me within a ten foot radius of him," said with a sad chuckle.

Roxas kissed the crown of Sora's head. "I can talk to him."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

The talk with Axel to get Sora within a ten foot radius of Riku was long and drawn out and had required more bribing than Roxas had ever had to deal with. Axel had been justifiably pissed off and Sora and had refused to even let him look at him. He had promised that Sora would not be uncivil and that he would remain with a chaperone. By the end of the Saturday that had followed Sora's outburst, Roxas had arranged the beginnings of peace-talk. By mid-afternoon on Sunday, Sora was fidgeting on the porch steps, while Roxas rang the doorbell.

"They aren't going to open the door," Sora said nervously, while rubbing his hands together in front of his chest. "They're going to look out and see me, and ignore the door."

Roxas stuffed his hands into his poofy jacket, shaking his head. He knew someone would answer; because if they didn't someone was going to get an earful. They had promised that they would at least talk. Sora deserved the chance to explain himself, just as much as Riku did. This had all been a giant misunderstanding caused by Seifer and his inability to be anything but an asshole.

They would open the door…

They opened the door! Roxas sang 'Halleluiah' in his mind.

Riku opened the door and peaked out from behind it, his eyes glossy and shining. When he looked at the two of them, though, he frowned, a sad glimmer coming to his eyes. Roxas got the feeling it wasn't because they were there.

Before either of them could say anything, however, he looked at the brunette and said in a watery voice, "Sora, I know you wanted to talk, and I swear to you we will, but not now. Aerith just called…"

He tried to shut the door, but Sora held out his hand, worry marring his face. "Woah, wait. Riku, did Sephiroth die?

There was a long pause, filled with the two friends staring at each other pleadingly, one asking silently for the other to leave, and the other asking silently for the first to tell him what was wrong. Roxas felt a little uncomfortable being there, but he was just as curious to find out about Riku, too. Hoping that nothing terrible had happened, for everyone's sake. Their little group had taken a bashing over the holidays, one more…he didn't even want to think about what would happen.

His hopes fell on deaf ears.

"No, Sora. I have Angel's disease," he said sadly, his voice breaking and tears filing his eyes. "She said it's most likely fourth stage and that I don't have that long." He tried to shut the door again, having cried in front of his friend enough that week or for a life time really.

"Riku, please!"

Through the cracked doorway, he said, "I just want to alone for a few days. I'll come talk to you next weekend. Tell everyone…" his note was interrupted by a small sob, "tell everyone why I'm not coming back."

With that he shut the door, leaving Roxas and Sora standing on his porch, their mouth hanging open in shock, one pair of blue eyes slowly filling with tears. And surprisingly, it wasn't Sora's eyes that were doing the crying. Surprisingly, it was Sora who led them away, and began leading them back to their home. And when they were inside, sitting on their couch, it was Sora who held Roxas. When it was over, when Roxas' tears had subsided, Sora calmly made dinner for the two of them, since Phoenix was out for the night.

It was odd. What was worse, Roxas hadn't noticed until after dinner that Sora had yet to shed a tear.

However, rapidly that changed.

"Oh my god!"

Roxas looked over to his boyfriend, worriedly. They had been watching television for the past hour, and Sora hadn't said a word since they had left Riku's place.

"Sora?" he asked worriedly, watching as the brunette's eyes filled with grief and terror.

"Roxas, my best friend is dying." Sora said looking over to him, past him and at the couch they were sitting on. His voice was slow and distant. It had just dawned on him. Everything had toppled down on him in an instant while he was quietly watching the show. "My best friend is dying, and I…I was pissed off because he never told me about his prostitution. I was pissed off because he was scared of losing me." He clicked his tongue against this roof of his mouth. "He's dying." He stood up suddenly, his hands flying to his hair. "WHY THE FUCK IS HE DYING?" He shouted. "Why him? What did he do? Are there not better candidates? I'm not that picky, as long as they leave him the fuck alone! Why not Seifer? He's a dickwad without a cause! We don't need him around. The world would probably be better for having him gone! Take Kairi, or Tidus, or Pence! I don't care, but why HIM?"

Sora fell back onto the couch, suddenly seized by painful, loud sobs.

&$&$&$&$&$&$&$&

That night dinner was left untouched and Riku's house. Boxes of Japanese food were left on the coffee table to be cleaned up on a different day, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the day after. The television was off, even though there were two different marathons on that night. Neither of them were doing their homework; they didn't even think they were going back to school. Their cell phones were turned off; the home phone was unplugged. Every door and window was locked, making sure there could be no one to invade them tonight. No one was going to visit, no one was going to yell, cry, or question them.

It was just them, in Riku's bedroom with the lights turned off and the door cracked to let a little of the hallway light fall in across the bottom of his bed. Their legs were entangled as Axel hovered over Riku, petting his sweaty, silver hair away from his eyes. They were both spent, and understandably so, considering they had both spent the last two and a half hours in each other's arms.

"Please don't leave me. Please…"

"I'll be here until the end, Riku. You have my word."

&$&$&$&$&$&$&

InnocentGuilt


	24. It Makes Sense

Axel and Riku dropped out of school shortly after the debacle with Sora and the phone call with Aerith.

Not long thereafter, Larxene came to them, with a hand on her little tummy and a suitcase next to her. That had been a tough one, since Riku hated the tall blond, but in the end he caved in, yelling it wouldn't matter soon. Soon she would just rematerialize into someone else and help play the part in one of the many fantasies his mind played out for him. It wouldn't matter to him, he had shouted as he moved everything out of his room for Larxene to have—she wasn't getting anywhere near his mother or his brother's room—it wouldn't matter because soon he'd be dead anyway. And she had been pregnant…

Axel and Riku moved into Priti's old room, after carefully going through her belongings and deciding what Riku wanted to keep of his mother, and giving the rest to a pawn shop in town. They dusted and vacuumed and slept on her queen size bed. The first night had been the hardest. Riku had sat in bed just petting the old quilt on his mother's bed, which smelled like mothballs and had faded colors from two years of sitting in sunlight, and no washing. Sex was also a fairly interesting thing. After everything, Riku would strip the bed and wash all the blankets and sheets and pillow cases, because he felt kind of guilty for doing such a thing on his mother's bed.

Then, in February, after holding on for two months in a hospital bed, Sephiroth died. Riku didn't go to the funeral, so in turn Axel didn't either, though Larxene did. She had promised she would be there, so she went. Meanwhile, the two teens spent their time going through Sephiroth's belongings, sorting out what Riku wanted to keep, and what they would give to the pawn shop in town. Riku didn't say anything as he moved through the room. He didn't cry. He didn't even look like it phased him. And then Riku had turned around and started talking to Axel. The problem was in Riku's eyes Axel wasn't Axel; he was Sephiroth.

From then on it had just gone downhill. Everything Riku had said could happen with Angel's disease happened. He never ate. He slept non-stop. His imaginations got worse. Jesus, he even took a shower every time he woke. When Sora and Roxas were around he would ask for help with his Chemistry homework, soon after throwing a fit because he couldn't find his book. Sora was also the star in many of his conversations with his 'new friend,' "Ansem." Kairi visited a few times, but when she did she couldn't stand the heart breaking conversations she would have with him, because he always thought that she was his mother.

Surprisingly though, when Larxene came around him, he was lucid. He would see her slowly growing belly and frown, shaking his head sadly. They would talk, tip-toeing carefully around the one thing that would set Riku off, Sephiroth. But he would be completely normal, as if afraid if he went into a spell he would somehow rub it off on her unborn child. They spoke of wills, because Riku was writing one and he believed the Larxene should write one…just in case. The spoke of marathons and sushi, since that's all the two of them ever wanted to eat anymore. They even spoke of Priti and Lenore, how wonderful each woman had been.

But moments of sobriety became sparse over a short, too short, four months. Soon, they vanished all together to the point if Riku wasn't asleep, he was having a hallucination and Axel was getting his next shot ready. Axel knew what was coming. He knew that Riku's death would follow shortly, though his brother's had been drawn out. Riku had Fourth Stage, and that was the stage that was a quickly developed killer. Slowly he had been preparing for it, as had his friends, and his sister, and even his uncle, though the jackass never came to see Riku. Over the four months he thought he would be ready for it; he thought he might be okay…

…Until today.

Axel sat at Riku's bedside, his heart heavy as the doctor packed up his things. Sighing and shaking his head, but all together keeping silent.

"Well?" Axel sniffed, fearing what the old man would say.

The doctor sighed. "He's overdosed on the tranquillizers." He said, setting a hand down on Axel's shoulder. Gravely, he continued, "I'd give him until the end of the day." The old man gave to firm pats on his shoulder, and then walked out, leaving Axel alone, tears slowly pouring out of him, making it hard to see the worn, carpet flooring or Priti's old room, while Larxene lay in wait on the other side, her doctor having given her the order to stay off of her feet, since she had been experiencing some odd sensations lately.

He didn't move from his place on the chair, to afraid that if he left Riku's side for even a moment Riku wouldn't be breathing when he came back. For hours, it seemed like, he stared at the carpet, watching his tears fall from his nose to the floor. His shoulders heaved, as he choked out sobs, beating his clasped hands against his head, angrily.

Riku's eyes fluttered open, revealing his tired aquamarine eyes. He focused on Axel, and smiled, reaching his hand out slowly to rest over Axel's knee, jerking Axel's head from his hands and into staring into Riku's eyes with awe. Axel moved from his seat to sit on the floor next to Riku. He moved his hands to brush away Riku's silver hair away from his paling face.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He breathed through his tears.

Riku didn't reply. Instead, he stared at Axel's face. "You're crying."

He smiled. "I've been worried about you."

"Oh." Riku said, with a slight incline of his head.

Axel stroked Riku's cheek, hot, and sweaty. "How are you feeling?"

Riku blinked slowly. "I'm really tired." He rasped. "I just…I wanted to see you for a bit, before…"

Axel's face clenched as tears fell down his face. "Don't talk like that." He demanded softly.

Riku smiled sadly. "It's okay, Axel. I know all ready. I heard the doctor. I just…I wanted to say…"

He shook his head hard. "No…No!"

"Axel!" Riku yelled, though it was raspy and squeaky. "Just let me…let me." His eyes refocused on Axel, his eyes already visibly dimmer than they were just five minutes ago. "I'm really sorry I lost your lighter that day in the library." Axel smiled. He had forgotten all about that damn thing. "I'm sorry that I was so mean to you. I didn't mean to beat you up so many times, and I didn't mean to make you beat me up either." He took a deep breath, his eyelids becoming taking longer to open with each blink. "I'm glad that you knew my secret, and that you kissed me that day in the library. I'm happy that you made me want to write that stupid paper, even if I didn't have to turn it in.

"I'm so happy that you didn't leave me; that you're still here." A tear fell down his right cheek and into his hair. "I'm happy I get to see you this one last time, even if it is the worst thing I've ever had to make you endure. I feel so bad for doing this to you, but I wanted…I wanted…I wanted you to know…" He turned his head to look at Axel, whose eyes were pinned shut, with tears streaming out from under his lids. He raised his hand and placed it on his cheek, rubbing away the wet stream. Axel opened his teary, poison green eyes. Riku smiled, when he looked back at him. "I wanted you to know I love you, Axel." Riku said quickly, his hand slipping as he spoke. His breathing was harsh, and his eyes would only open to thin slits. His hand fell into Axel's lap, where he thought it would finally rest until Axel took hold of it.

Axel picked his hand up and pressed it to his lips. "I love you too, Riku." He whispered, watching as Riku's eyes slipped shut and didn't open again. He shook Riku's hand experimentally. "Riku?" He asked, as question to which there was no response. His face locked up again as his vision blurred. "Riku!" He pressed the still warm hand to his lips. He rested the limp hand on the un-moving chest, leaning over him to get a full view of his face. "Riku!" He yelled, finally realizing that he wasn't going to respond. Carefully, he bent down and pressed a light kiss to the lifeless lips below him, a tear dropping onto Riku's left cheek, as he whispered, "I miss you all ready." He stroked his beautiful silver hair away from Riku's face, stroking the soft skin under his fingertips.

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_It makes sense that it should feel this way__That you slowly fade, and yet still remain- Fly away by Poe_

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	25. Epilogue

_Seven Years Later_

"God dammit! Why won't the damn thing stop leaking?"

"Daddy, you shouldn't cuss. It's not nice!"

Axel sighed from under the sink, wiping his forehead with his greasy, dirty hand. He looked at her from between the open cabinet doors, her curly blonde hair in a ponytail and her aquamarine eyes glaring at him with a pout on her lips. She looked a lot like her mother, he decided for the zillionth time that month. Only her mother had never been much into the tomboy look.

She had a baseball cap on backwards, her too big, too bright t-shirt all stained from playing in the grass. Though, surprisingly she was in a skirt today, she had shorts on underneath them, because she didn't often stay nice and lady-like. But boy would she give you an earful if she heard you say a 'bad word.'

He shook his head, "Sorry, princess. I'll try not to."

She rolled her eyes and sat down by his legs, huffing, "That's watcha said last time."

He sighed again, and continued working with the sink plumbing, which continued to dribble water onto him. He was trying to tighten one of the valves, but all that seemed to do for him so far was get more water on him.

"Why don't ya jus' put duck tape on it?" his daughter asked from her place by his legs, having turned around to balance on her knees so she could look in again.

He chuckled, "That wouldn't work, honey. The water would dissolve the adhesive."

"What's that?"

He pulled himself out from under the sink and sat up on the floor next to her. "Adhesive is the sticky stuff on tape and band-aid and those stupid push-lights on your wall. When they get wet, the adhesive dissolves and it makes it not sticky anymore. It's why your band-aids always fall off in the bathtub."

She looked at her elbow, where she had her current band-aid and said, "Oh, I wondered 'bout that." She looked back up at him and then to the sink. "So what're ya gonna do about that leak?"

He looked behind him, where the leak was merrily dripping, and shrugged, "I dunno."

He shoulders slumped and she looked up at him demandingly. "Come on, daddy! You're a mechanic!"

He folded his arms over his chest and gave her the same look. "Yeah! A mechanic, not a plumber!"

"I don't see how that one small tube can be any harder than putting all the tiny ship pieces back together."

He shrugged, grabbing the bucket he had been using to block the leaking and put it back under the drip. He shut the cabinet doors and leaned against them, staring at his daughter who was staring at him. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, neither of them moving or looking away from each other, neither of them were blinking. After thirty seconds of not blinking, it was silently declared a staring contest, and Axel started making faces at the little girl until she stared laughing so hard she had to blink.

"Daddy! That's not fair! You cheated!" she hollered as she came down from her giggles. He just smiled and shrugged, letting her smack his knee with her tiny hand as she threw her small fit.

Afterwards, when she was 'over it,' she led him outside so she could play in the sprinkler. It turned out she had been wearing her bathing suit the entire day, somehow knowing that Axel would say yes to her, pleas and begging. He turned on the water hose in front of the house he had been living in for the passed seven years, where his boyfriend had died, and where his sister had begun losing hers, and then he sat on the porch, taking this time when his daughter was completely oblivious to him, to think things over, again.

His sister had died shortly after she had given birth to the little angelic devil that was now squealing with delight as she ran through the sprinklers in the mid-afternoon summer sun. Larxene had had internal bleeding that they couldn't get to in time if she wanted the baby to live. Axel didn't know the specifics of what had caused it. He hadn't wanted to know if the little girl he had been clinging to protectively had been the accidental death of his beloved sister. She had really just enough time to name her daughter, his daughter now, and tell him that she loved them both.

When she died, he came back to the house that he had shared with her, the one that Riku had left to him in his will along with all of his money, and he had slowly moved all the baby things from Larxene's old room to his room, the one that Riku's mother used to sleep in. He put the baby-seat that had been a gift to Larxene from one of her friends in the back of the car he had bought a few months before she had the baby, and drove back to get her.

He hadn't really been ready to deal with a baby, not knowing what to expect, how to deal with crying or anything, but instead of going to his 'mother,' he had gone to Phoenix, remember how she had loved children. Oh, what a catastrophe that had been. His little girl was so tightly woven around that family's finger she could do anything and it would be just dandy. Sora and Roxas almost would set her on the floor when he was around.

But he was grateful for them. Had they not been around, he probably would have thrown himself into a river with cement tennis-shoes on. They came over all the time, and helped him watch her, or just watched her by themselves while he took a nap after the long hours of being up with her.

And one day they had brought Kairi over. Wow! She was almost worse than he was. She had checked the temperature of everything, made sure all the electrical sockets were all covered, looked over everything to make sure it was baby-safe.

"Daddy, look!"

She did a cartwheel through the sprinkler, and he clapped. "Good job, princess!" he yelled as she took her bow.

She smiled and then went back through the sprinkler, leaving him alone to his thoughts again, this time mostly on the here and now.

Kairi had finally coerced Reno into marrying her, after they had started dating a few weeks after Namine had left. They had already had one child together, a boy, two years younger than his little girl, whom they named Nero, though they mostly just called him 'boy' or 'kid.' Her parents weren't happy about it, as he recalled her telling him, but she had told them to stuff it or deal with another 'Namine incident,' as she called it. They had calmed down after that, but Reno reported that Kairi's mother still gave him death glares.

His old buddy Demyx was in a fairly famous band, and they were out touring the worlds. He hadn't heard much from him, but his infatuation with Zexion had passed after he moved out. They spoke every once in a while, but Zexion had proven to be straight—that had been a major shock to Axel—and had married an accountant from the firm he worked at. Demyx was having a grand time of being single, but had reported that he had been seeing one of his band members, and was happier, though he wished that his 'partner' would wipe take his shoes off before he got in bed.

Cloud and Leon, both of whom he had become good friends with after Riku's funeral, were still together. Why? No one really knew. Sora assumed it was because they had a love/hate relationship. They loved to hate each other and hated to love each other. Axel had to agree that it did make sense. The times when they actually liked each other were few and far between.

As for Roxas and Sora, they had moved out on their own about a year after their graduation. They had both decided to go to the Academy; Roxas had gone to be a designer, which meant winter fashion should be intriguing from now on, and Sora, god love the freak, had gone to be a lepidopterist, or a person who studies butterflies. Sora's father had supported them both through school, having come back and had a royal throw down with his now ex-wife when he discovered she had kicked their son out. Lately, they spent most of their time in the city, coming to see him on the weekend so they could bring his daughter more gifts.

Axel, himself, had not done much more after bringing his daughter home. He had received a job working with Cid, Sora's father, as a mechanic, but his love life was honestly…lacking. He hadn't had time. His daughter was a full time job, and he just worked around her. Throwing in a romantic evening now and then would be too much. Not to mention he would feel a bit odd bringing someone into his dead boyfriend's house.

He laughed to himself at how silly his life sounded, but stopped abruptly when a shadow came over his. He looked up and the person with crinkled eyes, trying to figure out who was kind enough to block out the bright sun for him. It was a man, about as tall as he was, maybe a little shorter, with short silver hair and ice-like eyes. He was fairly good-looking, well-muscled, five o'clock shadow, scars—oh, baby, look at them all—all of those macho things.

Axel didn't bat an eye. "Can I help you?" he asked politely.

"Nah. I'm just scoping out the neighborhood. I just moved in about three days ago. Figured I'd best come make friendly with the neighbors," he said, shaking his head.

The redhead nodded, unperturbed, "Awful neighborly of you."

"Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically, inviting himself to sit down and watching his daughter, who was now just laying in the grass and letting the water fall over her. "She yours?" he asked.

"Pride and joy."

"Ah hah… the little misses?"

Axel cast him a sideways glance, smirking a little. "Never had one. I adopted her after my sister died.

"Oh, sounds rough. What's her name?"

Axel smiled to himself this time. "Priti Lenore."

"Beautiful name."

"Haven't found one better," he said, finally looking over to the stranger again. "I'm Axel, by the way. You would be?"

The man smirked at him, his glacial eyes glinting in the sunlight. "I would be Dante," he said. "And I would like to know if you and Priti are doing anything tonight. You see, I hate to eat alone."

Axel smiled, a real full smile, and then whistled loudly, watching as his blonde haired angel hopped off the grass ran through the sprinkler once to get stray grass off of her. She normally didn't like strangers, and he was relying on her to tell this man that she didn't want to go over to his house. She ran over to him, and sat on his lap, still dripping wet and sharing the experience with him.

"Geez, Priti! You're getting me all wet!"

She smiled happily. "You're already wet. You didn't change from workin' on the sink." She looked at Dante as if suddenly realizing that he was in front of her. "Are you here to fix the sink?"

Axel tried to stop her, tried to tell Dante not to listen to her, but the other man cocked his head to the side, "Is there something wrong with your sink?"

Priti nodded, enthusiastically. "Yeah. It's got a leak and daddy can't fix it with duck tape," she said matter-of-factly. Axel covered his eyes with his wet hand, exasperated at his daughter.

Dante chuckled and stood up, Priti following his example. "Well, little lady," he said, holding his hand out to her, "You mind showing me where this leak is?"

Axel tore his hand away from his eyes and looked up at Dante, "No, no. You don't have to…" But it was too late. Priti had already taken his hand and was leading him into the house. Axel glared at the doorway, imagining the two of them still standing there to catch the full intensity of his frustration, but they were already inside, leaving the door wide open as an invitation to come into his own house. He threw his hands up in the air. "What the hell! Let's have dinner with him.

Inside the house he heard his daughter yell at him, "Daddy! Don't cuss!" followed quickly by this new man, Dante's, laughter.

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A/N: After several long, looooong months, I am finally finished. I'm sorry it took so long to deliver all of this to you. But several things came up, some of them not in my control, most of them were. But I am now here for you, with the final installments of this story. I hope you have enjoyed this more than I have enjoyed bringing it to you.

I love you all, those of you have reviewed, those of you who haven't, those of you who just looked at the summary. You have all helped and inspired me, and I would be useless without you.

I'm sorry to bring this to such a sad ending…but it had to be done.

I leave you with just this parting thought:

Is it better to lose everything and leave, or lose everything and learn how to carry on?

Goodnight, Good love, and Good life.

InnocentGuilt


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